Relegation will condemn the A-League to a second-division future

Mostly wrong but with a small element of truth. The truth is that a way must be found to raise up a second tier that can lead to pro/rel. That could be defined by the FFA or the NPL clubs or State associations. Football will at some point have to decide which way to go the socialist American sports model or capitalist global football model. Currently Australian sporting leagues or a strange hybrid mix, they proclaim the history and community connection of a club but then relocate teams or create franchises. The AFL and NRL spend fortunes putting teams (clubs?) on life support or creating new ones rather than allow them to rise and naturally. With second tiers and pro/rel there would still be a place for Fitzroy and South Melbourne, Newtown, Wests, Balmain, Illawarra, North Sydney. Whilst GWS, the Suns, and Storm would have risen based on merit rather than be created to fill a "gap" in the market. The problem with the A League is that it both inhibits spending by those with money and forces those without to spend what they don't have. Why should other clubs be denied the opportunity to show that they can do a better job that the Mariners, Jets or SFC? Football has a great depth in Australia but must be allowed to find its champions, not have them chosen for it. The Chinese clubs show that money isn't the answer to everything but long term success for Australia in the ACL will need a different A League model.

Tom the wasp, put your dress back on.

Above all else, cultural reasons. The VFL/AFL *did* promote Richmond, North Melbourne, Footscray/Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn from the VFA/VFL and Melb University Blacks from one of the metro leagues, in 1908 and 1925 respectively - you could argue that Port Power's entry into the comp in '97 was for all intents/purposes a promotion. The pro/rel concept could well have become a permanent fixture of the leading-State Aussie Rules comps in the late-19th/early-20th Centuries if 1) the willingness to embrace/adhere to it had been present, and 2) if the VFA & VFL had enjoyed a less-frostier/d1ck-measuring relationship w/each other so as to facilitate the format's implementation.

And boy is it a pleasure to watch. Never gets old, mate.

Here take a step into my weird and wonderful world.... https://mises.org/about-mises/what-austrian-economics

I live in the football world not the strayan world i guess....

I do enjoy eviscerating poorly constructed arguments against p/r, yes :)

"Dont keep posting your views" ....is this reverse psychology???

IPA are pretty lightweight actually, although i am a member and did enjoy Mark Steyn's recent tour for them. Im more of a Mises Institute kinda guy! :)

All consistent with the world of football so not that weird haha

A-League is already ruined as it is. Pro/rel gives it a nice shower.

tbh the NSL isn't the greatest example to follow. Plus They had it in the 80's and got rid of it in the 90's in 1990 this is what the Bradley report had to say about Pro/rel: promotion and relegation led to “instability in the league”, and neglect of important areas such as facilities and spectator recruitment in favour of on-field results. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/nov/06/friday-focus-how-realistic-is-a-second-division-promotion-and-relegation I don't see how that would be different in the A-league. maybe once advanced football infrastructure has been built (stadia, centres for excellence, training schools, etc) then we can entertain it. but not now. Has anybody found out why the NRL and AFL don't have pro/rel? Why have they not tried it?

Does anybody know how I can watch MVvWSW in Athens.Pretty desperate to know.

And then goldilocks said Australia is too big, but Korea is too small, and Tajikistan is too poor and has a low population, but china is big and has a big population, but japan is small and has a big population and is rich..,but MLS is juuuuust right..etc etc. yawn.

This is a great article AZ, I read it earlier today, most football should read this article, especially those with the doom & gloom view on life.

Writing as I make my way down to Melbourne with several large winter jackets Mvfc v WSW - in their last encounter Mvfc got the early goal but never looked in the game much at all after. WSW bossed the Mvfc midfield and dominated possession and really should have won. But we've looked less impressive in recent weeks especially in front of goal. How Popa deals with our weak striking options will be a big test for him. Not sure what AFL is on today but I hope plenty of locals join us there. Newcastle v Perth - Newcastle's season is effectively over so I think they'll struggle to step up against Perth. Expecting an easy and potentially big win for Perth here Brisbane v Sydney - season on the line for Sydney here. But you would think Brisbane will have far too much fire-power here. Sfc's defence is not what it was in 2015. Brisbane will get plenty of looks at the Sydney goal. But it's hard to escape Brisbane's inconsistency. Regardless, at home they'll prove to be too strong and will likely end Sydney's season Adelaide v central coast - not much to say here. Adelaide should win by 3 or 4. If CCM continue to have players sent off this could get ugly City v wellington - lack of Aaron Mooy will make this fixture far more interesting than it would have been otherwise. Still expect City to win but Wellington will give them a scare. A round squeezed between two WC2018 qualifiers and the start of the AFL season during Easter. Might not get the attention it deserves but will undoubtedly have a huge bearing on the final standings. Top 5 v bottom 5 might turn out to be more exciting than you think.

"Would you put your own money into it?" LOL! Oh no he didn't. This is the part where mark asks you to mortgage your own home. "With the financial situation of current A-League clubs, no serious investor would touch a promoted club with a ten foot pole." What baloney. Mark the consummate horseman of the apocalypse. Aside from this statement being completely nonsensical, let me say three words: CITY FOOTBALL GROUP..... A billion dollar organisation isn't a serious investor?? Is that what you're saying? In future I'll avoid your posts and just get straight to slitting my wrists.

"I’m not a Football aficionado" You can say that again.

Great post nordster. 10/10.

This is a really great article doing the rounds today http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/24/leave-your-whining-at-the-pub-the-a-league-is-serving-up-good-fare?CMP=share_btn_tw