Football Federation Australia (FFA) says it is open to lifting the Matildas’ derisory wage, if the Socceroos or A-League players are willing to pay for it.
The Matildas stunned FFA by boycotting a two-match tour of the United States because of their stalled deal for a new pay agreement.
A vicious war of words between FFA and player representatives, Professional Footballers’ Australia (PFA), has followed their controversial action but, on Friday, a glimmer of light appeared for a potential deal.
To this point, the Socceroos, Matildas and A-League players have all been combined in talks for a ‘whole of game’ agreement.
Both FFA and PFA suggested they would be open to considering a Matildas-only deal that would lead to the Australian women’s team resuming their preparations for Olympic Games qualifiers.
FFA says the price of doing that would come from the overall player pool.
“We’ve made it clear that total player payments to players need to be affordable,” a spokesperson said.
“FFA allocates $30 million a year to the A-League, Socceroos and Matildas and the way is open to reallocate money to the Matildas.
“It’s up to the PFA to support a redistribution of funds from men’s salaries to women’s salaries. The PFA hasn’t done that.”
PFA chief executive Adam Vivian said if a separate deal was tabled, he would put it to the Matildas.
“Under our statutes and our obligations, we would have to take that to the players … as it currently stands, there’s nothing in writing so we’re not in that position,” he said.
“We haven’t walked away from the negotiating table.”
Vivian said the Socceroos “had offered to reduce payments under the forecasted model” to improve the Matildas’ wage.
But it remains to be seen whether a magical figure can be agreed on.
Matildas defender Laura Alleway suggested the team would require a substantial bump from their $21,000 annual base pay.
“We put in just as much time as the men do and we don’t expect to get as much as the men do but at least give us the common courtesy to pay us minimum wage,” she said.
It is understood the tabled offer from FFA lifted the Matildas to above minimum wage over four years, with annual increases of 10 per cent in years one and two and 15 per cent in years three and four.
Despite their poor pay, FFA hit back at the suggestion the Matildas were undervalued.
“FFA invested $2.1 million in the Matildas’ campaign for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” a statement read.
“That allowed the players to be full-time for six months and to achieve the best ever result of an Australian national team at a World Cup.”
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Lucy Zelic has just written an article on this issue in TWG - she reduces it all to one basic point: it's impossible for anyone to argue that it's acceptable for a Matilda to be earning a paltry $21,000 per annum.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
From the perspective of you and I working a standard job, as an employee or contractor, then no doubt that is correct, but when viewed through the prism of enabling a woman to have a professional sporting career, in a sport where arguably the mens and womens national teams vie to be viewed as THE national teams, then the claims look a bit more reasonable. Certainly the latest news is that the Matildas view the maternity leave, in particular, as a significant threshold issue.
Midfielder
Guest
Five bullet points re the PFA thing ... from a poster on 442 ... Money Impatience Egos Delusions of grandeur Unrealistic expectations
Brendo
Guest
Its a poor article that compares Apples to Oranges. What has the A-league Salary Cap got to with total FFA Revenue? If we are going to do a comparison than you need to estimate how much each area generates and then compare. ie In 2004 there was $13.7M total Socceroos $13M Matildas $0.7M A-League $0M The Socceroos effectively funded the a-league in its first year (remember the 2004 figures includes no tv rights or sponsors for the a-league) In 2007 there was $50M total Socceroos $29M Matildas $1M A-League $20M A-league need includes around half of the TV Deal with Foxtel (~$10M per year) plus League Sponsor & Merc. Players Salary (TPP) would be around $22M so Socceroos still massively subsidizing the A-League. In 2014 there was $136M total First why the big jump? You need to understand two things boost the Rev in 2014. The first is $10M appearance fee at the WC and then there is the $10M sale of WSW. Socceroos $74M Matildas $2M A-league $60M Finally the new TV deal means that the A-League begins to pay its own way but with the TPP still around $30M this will means around 50% of the FFA A_league revenue is being paid to the players. So what do we draw from this. 1. Bonita's direct comparison of % revenue increases is not valid as you first need to understand that the A-league players were massively overpay in comparison to revenue back in 2004. 2. The Socceroos have of course increase significantly. As the A-League revenue increased they were able to claw back a lot of the subsidy that was been paid to the A-league. 3. Matildas in terms of revenue are not underpaid. However revenue in this instance is a poor choice way to calculate fair wage as it is generally accepted that the womens game is massively under funded. Finally any comparison of FFA Revenue doe NOT take into account club revenue. You also need to factor that in as it will again show a very different story (ie A-League Rev total would increase to around $100M and then player Sal will be around 30%
Midfielder
Guest
Bonita Mersiades article and Richard Hinds link in her article to me anyway make sense .. Its also were I think FFA have been working in. What is interesting is three senior journalist ... Craig Foster on TWG, Richard Hinds in his article, and Francis Leach on offsiders yesterday in answer to a question from John Stanley .. have all said the PFA are saying incompetence by FFA should not reduce wages ... Leach and Hinds are saying be very careful as on most measures by many outside Football FFA are seen to have done an excellent job.... 136 million of which only 35 million comes from the media deal is impressive and I can recall reading FFA sponsorships are 45 million compared to RU 27 and RL 29 and AFL 57... this does not look like an incompetence. I actually think as I wrote last week the PFA believe so much in their own ability and judgements to the point of arrogance IMO and playing some very tough games in linking everything into one deal .... the PFA may just push that little to far I have no idea where they think the money will come from if even they concede its not their due to FFA incompetence... AS I have often posted one of my biggest fears was a major player be they media, club, union, etc start to treat Football in Australia as a well established and stable league rather than as a young child only just past the fragile stage could cause major damage...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
The article specifically deals with revenue; not expenditure. "Football revenue fact check" by Bonita Mersiades http://www.footballtoday.com.au/tabs/blog/2015/09/fact-check
Lionheart
Guest
Justin, did this article explain what FFA actually spends its money on? What is the breakdown of their expenditure, percentages to junior development v admin v player wages v national team admin etc?
Realfootball
Guest
Oh ffs, this is ridiculous. Either these girls want to play football or they don't. They are becoming a royal pain the neck. The nanny state invading football now. I'm with Fussball on this one. I too have travelled on business as a contractor and it was always economy class and certainly not five star hotels. As for paying for childcare... what's the punchline for that one?
Lionheart
Guest
Hay Fuss, from what I saw yesterday Muscat going to have a lot of competition this year, in the complaints stakes, from the Newcastle Jets coaching staff. Their assistant got a red card for continually harassing the assistant on the line.
Justin Mahon
Guest
And the boys on Asia. They only have to play at that level for an average of 2 - 3 years and they easily have a lazy million. The point is, they don't need huge Socceroos pay rises also and the Marildas need a better deal.
Justin Mahon
Guest
Very interesting figures in an article from Bonita Mersiades today. I am no fan of hers, but if she is right then the FFA are on a solid argument. Bottom line is that on proportional terms, the growth in player wages for the Socceroos is well ahead of revenue growth and the Matilda's about the same as revenue growth. The players to miss out are the. a-League players who are well behind the growth. Bonita says tell the Socceroos they have no case, give the Matilda's some cash because their growth, while about right, is off a tiny base and if these is any money (she doesn't detail costs) then it should go to a raised cap and into clubs. 4 days ago I tweeted that if the FFA should send a disproportionate amount of growth in player payments to the Matilda's over the next decade. That was my instinct then, but I am convinced now if Bonita's data is reliable. That being said, some of the travel and child care claims are absurd by any standard. The sooner the Matilda's are no longer part time the better. There is only one thing the FFA should be spending money on ahead of player Matilda and A-League player payments, and that's expanding the FFA Cup as the Chairman of Adelaide United has called for again today. However, that can wait until the next TV deal if it needs to.
Justin Mahon
Guest
So a strike that haven't happened yet has us at breaking point? The PFA don't speak for all players, the A-League teams would run their NPL / NPL sides to fill in the missing players. Not saying it would be good, but hardly a game buster.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
I don't know any organisation - from small business, to blue chip multinationals - who pay for kids & childcare when their employees have to go overseas for a few weeks. Working as a management consultant 15 years ago, I regularly had to work overseas - from a few days in NZL to a couple of weeks in USA, to several months in Japan. If any employee had demanded the company pay fro partner & kids to travel (business class!), plus accommodation in 5 star hotels, plus childcare the company would've just laughed & laughed. Let's pay the women a decent wage - which is what the FFA has offered; let's agree the ALeague & men's national team are paid very reasonably by any global standard.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I read the other day that part of the claim the PFA has put to the FFA on behalf of the Matildas is access to maternity leave and assistance with child care when touring, something which I believe the Australian netballers already have. I'm not sure what the cost of that would be overall, but I think it would be a mistake for the FFA to start demanding cuts in the benefits of other cohorts of players to pay for something as basic as what the Matildas are seeking.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Can't comment on the others but Mooy and Luongo absolutely not. Mooy only just signed a 500k a year contract before which I reckon he was on half of that. Luongo was playing lower league football until a few months ago so no hope there.
Chris p
Guest
Kruise, Leckie, Ryan Luongo mooy and Oar all easily millionaires
Realfootball
Guest
Agree. Victory have been absolutely hammered. Also agree that its fact of life. No point in complaining.
Realfootball
Guest
I really do doubt that. Well paid yes, millionaires no.
Realfootball
Guest
Borello runs hot and cold, more cold than hot (he really is remarkably ineffective in most of what he does in terms of end product) Clut isn't really a first 11 starting player just yet (not enough stamina or pace, can't defend), McClaren is covered by Solorzano, who I think is a more effective player, Bowles is arguably as good a centre back as Donachie - and Brown, well, he is just isn't an A League player, not on the evidence so far, and he's had a lot of rope. I'm far more concerned by the backroom issues. And by the fact that Broich is turning 35 and just injured himself again in this first pre season game back after injury - and the same foot injury to0. Time waits for no man, and to mix literary homage, I suspect that the bell is tolling for Thomas.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Wow.. Brisbane Roar fans are becoming the biggest whingers in Football. Everyone loses players for international duty. It's a fact of life playing in the ALeague. Last season for 1-2 rounds I recall MVFC lost: Kosta, Georgievski, Milligan, Pain, Galloway & Geria to various National Teams. A proud moment to see lads I watch every week achieve such recognition.