After one of the longest off-seasons in world football, the new A-League season is finally upon us, and in many ways it’s one of the most important yet.
Much has been written about how the new broadcast deal will underpin the A-League for the immediate future, with clubs said to be wrangling for a substantial increase to the salary cap.
But while the TV deal is of critical importance, it’s not the only thing that will make or break the latest A-League campaign.
Indeed, with the A-League kicking off its 12th season with seven of the clubs still going around who were there on day one, now is as good a time as any to set some goals for the season ahead.
A realistic timeframe for expansion
Promotion and relegation may be the current hot topic, but realistically what the A-League needs more of is new expansion clubs.
And while cities like Sydney and Melbourne already have their A-League needs catered for, regional areas like Canberra, Geelong and Wollongong – arguably more so than cities like Perth and Brisbane, despite what Football Federation Australia says – should be at the forefront of expansion plans.
The longer we wait, the more the A-League stagnates with its current ten clubs.
Tim Cahill to score some goals
Love him or loathe him – and surprisingly there are plenty in the latter camp – this is undoubtedly an important season for Tim Cahill.(Click to Tweet)
Australia’s national spearhead will be eager to avoid the fate that befell former national teammates Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton and make a genuine mark on the competition.
Say what you will about Cahill’s motivation in signing for Melbourne City, he’ll be desperate to score goals in his quest to remain in contention for the 2018 World Cup, while City will hope that his presence translates to more fans through the gate and some commercial gains off the pitch.
Clubs outside Sydney and Melbourne to do well
There’s no doubt the A-League operates in a tough commercial environment, so perhaps it’s no surprise to hear FFA chief executive David Gallop talking up the major Sydney and Melbourne markets of late.
In doing so, however, he risks alienating fans of more than half the league and for that reason, it’d be nice to see clubs outside Sydney and Melbourne continue to make their mark.
Adelaide may be home to the reigning A-League champions, but for various reasons this is a critical campaign for the Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory, Central Coast Mariners and the Wellington Phoenix. Here’s hoping they all perform.
A better performance from the game’s governing body
It’s easy to put the boot into FFA, but that’s mainly because they manage to get so many decisions so spectacularly wrong.
A case in point was their refusal to sanction Melbourne Victory’s signing of Alessandro Diamanti – currently captaining Palermo in Serie A, in case you were wondering – ostensibly because he wasn’t a big enough name for Australian audiences.
Not only is Diamanti precisely the sort of skillful player A-League clubs should be chasing, but when Michael Essien refused to put pen to paper, it meant Victory missed out on a big-name signing altogether.
Is it too much to ask FFA to explain their vague notion of ‘metrics’ to the rest of us?
Fans to be on their best behaviour
Yes, yes – everyone’s out to get us! I’ve seen enough questionable behaviour from stadium authorities, the police and mainstream media outlets over the course of the A-League to last a lifetime.
That said, there are still too many selfish individuals who treat the competition like their own personal playground – in particular, the pyromaniac zombies who continue to rip flares to the detriment of absolutely everyone around them.
For the sake of everyone’s sanity, let’s hope there are a few more headlines about positive fan behaviour this time around!
So there you have it. These are my biggest wishes for the new A-League campaign. What are yours?
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Change the record. That's what you said when Wanderers started. Don't you ever have anything positive to say about the A-League. Wanderers entering the competition has boosted Sydney A-League match attendances and will contribute to an A-League and Australian domestic football attendance record being set on Saturday.
Lionheart
Guest
so who supports SFC then?
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Next A-League team will be from Sutherland in Sydney co-owned by the Sharks and playing at Shark park. Lyle Gorman will be joint CEO FFA now looking for the 12th team for 2017/18.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
SBS is government run and ethnic supported, so it gets very political at times and takes offence easily. They certainly still have a gripe about the A-League and FFA and how the NSL old football players and fans were treated. At the end of the day the people who didn't manage the NSL properly and the bad behaviour of the fans brought about their own undoing and its not the FFA's fault. SBS should just get over it and move on, for the good of the Australian game.
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
Many thanks Onside. Here's hoping it's a cracking campaign.
BES
Guest
NTS has never done anything 'down' in his playing career. He either hoofs it high and wild into the stands (his sole contribution with his feet) or closes his eyes and tries to break the ribs of any opposing defenders when going in at corners - oh and as a completely secondary consideration the ball usually happens to hit him on the head at the same time and floats off into the crowd somewhere.... What a class, quality player.... ;-)
Bobbym
Guest
I would like to see a better TV deal and the announcement of 2 additional teams - one in Brisbane to create a local derby and one in Wollongong or Canberra.
marron
Guest
Didn't say you were AZ. :) As for the derby - we've always had massive crowds for big games going back almost a hundred years. Even at some club matches (obviously none as big as this but then the population was smaller too). So I don't think we've "won" until the bias is gone. That might be the result of money as opposed to any real attitude change who knows. Or it might be inevitable and it's just a matter of waiting. But to me the more it gets pointed to the quicker its demise will be.
Buddy
Guest
And this was the police press release regarding behviour........ angels everywhere! http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_releases?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGNTczNzguaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D
AZ_RBB
Guest
I'm not denying the bias. I just don't see the point in fighting. We're about to attend a Derby with 70k people. Anyone trying to tarnish the league and it's supporters has lost. We've won. In the words of our next Eternal Leader "we're gonna keep winning, we're gonna win so much you're going to be sick and tired of it"
marron
Guest
I get the "just don't look" strategy AZ but then I remember all the times I've been told that if the same incidents occurred elsewhere they'd get the same treatment. This myth needs to be contested at every step - I'm not particularly interested in accepting it. It's got nothing to do with other sports. It's got nothing to do with defending flare use either. But when it's in black and white - "not Australia" vs "fans celebrate" - it needs to be trumpeted for all those safely embubbled people who honestly believe there is no hint of bias or misreporting.
Midfielder
Guest
BB Interesting the Sour Bitter Sisterhood that great supporter of Australian Football nay the true home of Australian Football on the TWG today allocated 18 seconds to the A-League and their coverage of the Roar V MV... As of right now and it will change ... but their are 20 articles on TWG site... there is one A-League article about PG... Waits for all the positive articles about the A-League from the true home of Football the keepers of the faith... Waits excitedly about there next article about the FFA and how they are !!!!!!! leave it up to you to determine their expected tone...
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Pippinu mate, you have no credibility whatsoever. Stop clogging up these genuine football pages with your irrelevant rants. Well done bulldogs in the MeIbourne RuIes btw. Fantastic effort by the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks and Lyle Gorman as well, who will be co-owners of the next A-League franchise in Sydney in 2017.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
No genuine football fan would ever want to see the end of the Mariners. They have been an amazing A-League club, in fact of any sport. Don't believe half the stuff some fake characters post here.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
It proves once again, the bias in the media against Football. If just one flare goes off at the Sydney derby, it will be front and back page of the Murdoch press.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Those figures don't include ANZ stadium members, because its impossible to predict if they will turn up or not until the day of the match and some of those ANZ members are also Wanderers members. Only some limited availability Cat D Wanderers and Cat E tickets left now, remaining selling well. This event will now likely break 70,000.
Nathan
Guest
32aw2aw2aw
Midfielder
Guest
Tis interesting the many who call for us to be axed .... I often wonder is our lack of an ethnic background or no NSL history the reason... most seasons we have had bigger crowds than AU, Perth, MC / Heart, Nix .... our development of youth is far and away the best ... Don't we chant in a Football proper way ... certainty the Sour Bitter Sisterhood have always sent us as a problem and led the charge ... is it the band ...
AZ_RBB
Guest
Yet it gets a mention on a football page. We complain a lot of FFA not marketing the league well. It's own fans seem too pre-occupied with other sports.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Did anyone notice the blue and white flares set off at the NRL grand final yesterday? Any mention of it in the press? No.