The thing that is really hard sometimes, but can be really amazing and liberating, is giving up on trying to be perfect and beginning the journey to becoming truly good and ordinary and somehow more content.
Growing up, I refused to stop trying until I could juggle the football at least a hundred times without it hitting the ground. With limited success at first, I began to understand that sometimes it can be very difficult to give up trying, especially when it’s one of your loves and you mistakenly think you are good at it.
I know we’ve gone through a lot of pain with the Football Federation Australia and the Asian Football Federation and even FIFA about whether we should have a New Zealand team in the A-League or not, but the Wellington Phoenix are attempting a professional football assignment that isn’t working out too well.
The Phoenix’s predecessors, the New Zealand Knights, were an embarrassment to the A-League, to put it kindly. They finished dead last both seasons and had the lowest average A-League attendances for both those years.
Look, I feel a bit uneasy appearing so unkind to our Kiwi friends so soon after another New Zealand earthquake has damaged the Phoenix’s home stadium, but what does a New Zealand team add to the A-League?
The FFA’s board determined in 2015 that an application from Wellington Phoenix for a ten-year licence extension to compete in the A-League would not be granted.
At the time, CEO David Gallop said, “The application for a ten-year extension to the licence does not meet the requirements we see as fundamental to the future growth of the A-League.”
The FFA currently has half a dozen or more interested parties or applications for a new A-League franchise license. The increased media deal will fatten the FFA calf and lead to an increased share of revenue given back to the A-League clubs. This would potentially create greater financial viability for the clubs, so no surprise in the big increase in applicants.
A $100 million a year TV deal would underpin the expansion to a 12-team A-League by 2017. It would also more than double the return from the FFA paid back to A-League clubs as a share of gross revenue.
A third Sydney team, based on the south coast (the Sutherland Shire/Wollongong corridor), and a second Brisbane team lead the expansion race and have the business plan and their finances lined up and ready to go.
Free-to-air networks are also circling to join Fox Sports as the A-League and Socceroos’ official broadcaster.
CEO David Gallop has revealed recently that the new deal and firm expansion plans may commence before 2017, with the FFA also not ruling out the early termination of the SBS TV contract. Talks have already opened with free-to-air networks, including Channels Seven and Ten.
“We’re very excited and optimistic about the growing interest that is currently in the A-League broadcast rights,” Gallop said.
I’m kind of excited too about the prospects of some of those new applications and the potential for a couple of them to grow into another Western Sydney Wanderers success story.
I’m more excited about the Sutherland Sharks and a third Sydney derby team or another Brisbane team or even a South Melbourne one. While, on the other hand, I don’t know if I want to watch another handful of uninspiring, cold and windy Wellington Phoenix football games.
A football team working toward a common goal should be elating and exciting for everyone connected to the game, especially their own football fans. A lack of excitement about achieving what Wellington Phoenix think Wellington Phoenix want to achieve probably means Wellington Phoenix has become used to striving and never arriving.
It’s what New Zealand football teams do best.
We all face obstacles in pursuing our goals, whether they’re collectively professional or just personal. Why did Wellington Phoenix want to pursue their A-League goals to begin with, and has anything changed?
Would the A-League be any worse off without a New Zealand A-League team?
It’s in the A-League’s best interest to terminate the A-League license of Wellington Phoenix for non-performance, replace them with another team and then add another two clubs to take us to 12 teams in the 2017 season. This would also put any other poor performing A-League clubs on notice.
At the same time, removing a New Zealand team from the A-League would increase the FFA’s political standing with FIFA and the AFC. They are very powerful and influential organisations in world football, determining our future in the sport. They have both made it quite clear about where they stand on having a team in New Zealand competing in our domestic national football competition.
Jeff Williamson
Roar Pro
This is probably the wrong time to talk about a Wellington exit. Their licence has been extended, so they will be in the A-league for some time.
Rikdog72
Guest
Also this - http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/domestic/86757235/auckland-city-make-tentative-moves-as-ffa-consider-twoteam-aleague-expansion I have a feeling the FFA want into Auckland a city with 4 times the population of Wellington with ACFC being actively courted it would seem
Rikdog72
Guest
Let's not forget how many Australian players have been offered a chance/lifeline by the Nix Jade North, Nathan Burns, Jon McKain and more were offered a way back in to the league when Australian clubs didn't want them and they all went on to play for Australia post joining the Phoenix.
Rikdog72
Guest
Sydney FC are opposed to this move as a third of their population base is from that area - cannibalizing themselves really
Rikdog72
Guest
Can't agree with you on the FIFA argument - they were adamant when Australia left OFC that they work with OFC Nations and look to include them in the league. Also what do the FFA/A-League get from NZ? 4.5 Million wallets that advertisers can target - it's a big ad on for when they're pitching sponsorships to global brands like Hyundai. The FFA has bigger problems than the Phoenix, the Mariner and the Jets case in point while the owners of your club seem to struggle with basic concepts like paying wages on time
David
Guest
Probably the worst article I've ever had the misfortune of reading.
Nemesis
Guest
Disagree. In summer I think it is irresponsible for any professional football to be played before 7:00 pm. Ideally, 8:00 pm in areas with Daylight Savings. Not only is it potentially dangerous, the quality of the contest is severely adversely impacted by the heat. It's not pure coincidence that evening ALeague matches are far more intense and entertaining.
Waz
Guest
You're well informed on what people said last summer for someone that arrived from Eastern Europe and only just discovered this forum? The hot summer according to you then is an argument for more NZ teams and less Australian teams then I presume ? ... somehow I think we can manage the heat without any NZ teams
Nemesis
Guest
Indeed. Having too many matches each week end will be a pleasant issue to face. I presume we'll need to start doubling up on kick-off times, like they do in every football league around the world and all the semi-pro and amateur leagues in Australia.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
But if you want to expand to 14 teams or even 16 you then have 7 or 8 games a weekend.. . 730 each day Thursday to Sunday is 4 games.. we need an additional 3 slots.. NZ is good as is Perth good. But there will still be issues.
Nemesis
Guest
You mean A-League matches that kick-off in summer at 5:30 pm. Don't the coaches complain? The players complain? The fans complain? When this happens the complaining is intense: FFA are clueless, Gallop should be sacked, Lowy is ... whatever. Sometimes I feel the only thing that makes some A-League fans happy is to complain about FFA and Gallop.
Waz
Guest
And what, an Australian team based in Geelong or Brisbane or anywhere else fir that matter can't kick off at exactly that time as well?
Nemesis
Guest
Excellent point about the different Time Zone, Middy. Probably works best on Saturday or Sunday leading into a 7:30 pm kick off on the East Coast. PS: Your stalker is back.
Nzer
Guest
wrong Waz NZ have a NYL as well, if these clubs had enough money then our NYL teams could play Aus NYL teams hang on that could be a division 2 league theres a thought!!!
AR
Guest
Midfielder seems to be seriously suggesting that the 5pm AEST kickoff time is a *good* thing. My word. The greatest favour the Nix ever did for the FFA was be mediocre on-field. The fact that the Nix have never wo a trophy allows the FFA to continue to treat them like sh*t, but still take their money year after year, untol they don't need it anymore.
Paul
Guest
Phoenix ARE the bath water midfielder-the baby is in Canberra or Geelong or Woolongong or Townsville or FNQ or Ipswich or South Melbourne or Gold Coast or Freeo or West Adelaide or it's the Strikers or anyone of 100 NPL clubs wanting the bath waters place
Waz
Guest
Sure, and we both know an Australian team can kick off at exactly the same time. At some point in the future expansion will be complete (let's say at 16 teams) at which point some Australian club will be told there's no room, but we have got room for a foreign club called the Nix. Not good enough. Nix out! (I know we're not going to agree on this ?)
Midfielder
Guest
Waz A 7:00 PM start in NZ is a 5:00 PM start in Australia ... thats the early game on Saturday or in the future Friday.
Waz
Guest
Mid, why would a 5PM start time (3 PM in WA) be of any interest to Australian tv companies and advertisers (esoecially on a Friday) over any Australian side starting at any time? The current interest from Australia pretty much shows that even with expansion, somewhere in Australia will miss out to accomodate a foreign side. How would you feel if Mariners were relegated to the NPL to accomodate Nix? Because that's what this means to one Australian club!
Sydneysider
Guest
Silly idea. Maybe the FFA should call them the St.George/Sutherland Illawarra Dragon Sharks. Football South Coast are compromising their core beliefs. I wouldn't accept a one-third share in a team. Other sports accept it but I don't think football should.