Two of the most historic names in Australian football go head to head at Leichhardt Oval this weekend, in a game that will do nothing to reconnect either to the top tier.
Sydney Olympic take on surprise 2018 FFA Cup quarter-finalists APIA Leichhardt in the New South Wales Premier League grand final on Sunday afternoon, with both teams former stalwarts of the National Soccer League.
Olympic snatched top spot from APIA on a dramatic final day of the regular season – snaring a place in the NPL finals as a result.
And they’ll be keen to add another title to the one they last collected back in 2011.
The question is why?
Not why in a sporting sense – the kind which motivates players to lace up the boots in suburban competitions up and down the country – but why do these clubs expend so much time and energy trying to win a competition that brings little material reward?
The answer stems – at least in part – from the fact it’s what they’ve always done. There’s obviously no point running a football club if you’re not going to play football.
But you have to wonder how much longer some of these clubs can justify running expensive teams in semi-professional competitions when there’s no access to the top tier in sight.
Does the end – being crowned the best club team in NSW – justify the means?
The success of the FFA Cup and the fact it has reintroduced some formerly household names has pushed these clubs back to the forefront of our football consciousness.
(AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
Yet it has also conjured a few vexing questions.
There’s a huge dose of irony in the fact that after years of lobbying the state government to chip in some funds to refurbish their historic Lambert Park home, APIA Leichhardt were then forced to host their FFA Cup home ties at another stadium because of their synthetic pitch.
And if it’s not plastic pitches causing problems, it’s lighting. Just ask Lions FC, who hosted their recent FFA Cup game with Adelaide United at Perry Park in Brisbane’s inner-north instead of their boutique Richlands home.
Yet Lions beat Olympic at Richlands in the FFA Cup – the same two sides meet at the same venue in the Queensland Premier League grand final on Sunday – while the Adelaide Comets hosted an FFA Cup game on a synthetic pitch at Adelaide Shores just last week.
One rule for fully professional players, then, and a different rule for everyone else.
But what happens when a player makes the jump from the NPL to the A-League, like former APIA goal machine and current Central Coast Mariners striker Jordan Murray?
Hasn’t he just spent his formative years playing on synthetic pitches?
And shouldn’t it be the aim of NPL clubs to act as a production line of talent to the A-League anyway?
The fact that it isn’t – in part because there are no transfer fees – brings us back to the question of why the National Premier Leagues exist at all.
And those who think the stated aim must be to generate young talent should have a chat to administrators in Far North Queensland.
Football Queensland currently finds itself caught between a rock and a hard place, given both Cairns FC and the Townsville-based North Queensland United have just relinquished their NPL licences.
It’s all well and good waxing lyrical about producing talented youngsters in regional areas, but if the money’s not there, it’s simply not there.
And it’s hard to generate the sort of income required to keep these clubs running when it’s not even clear why some of them exist in the first place.
We’re a long way from opening the A-League up to promotion and relegation, but at some point, that conversation needs to start.
Because crowning a National Premier Leagues champion of Australia seems like a futile exercise when at the end of it there’s simply nowhere else for these clubs to go.
Greg Griffin
Guest
Mike, the question you pose has never been more relevant. I have watched with great pleasure the progress of Adelaide United Youth in the excellent FFSA NPL Competition. We were able to identify in the NPL side those boys with the talent and determination to go to the next level. The other NPL teams were able to showcase their talented youth in a match day environment in front of A League coaches. Above that however is the need for each Member Federation to run a NPL Competition that encourages the kids to stay involved to play at the elite State level. The Second Division is a reality, no longer an item on a wish list. Those charged with the responsibility of running that Competition will be people who understand and appreciate just how important strong NPL Competitions are to the success of the overall project. The future of football in Australia requires the passage from local clubs to the elite State competitions and then to the A League. That is how important the NPL Competitions are.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It's incredible that the North Korean FA would be able to run the sport with zero interference from government, and not only that, it just so happens that they sit on the governance committee oversighting what the FFA does next. Let us all hope that we are able to meet the high benchmark set by the North Koreans when it comes to democratic principles and good governance.
Nick Symonds
Guest
NEWS - Sport Australia has waded into the Football Federation Australia congress war, with CEO Kate Palmer declaring the organisation does not support governance changes proposed by a FIFA-backed working group. - It's highly doubtful FIFA has the appetite for more discussions on the matter, having applied pressure for the last two years on FFA to fall in line with their statutes - so far with no success. The involvement of Sport Australia, a federal government agency whose contributions to the CRWG report were noted within the 100-page document submitted to FIFA last month, has not been received well by the pro-reform parties. Whether it is viewed by FIFA as government interference in the running of the sport remains to be seen, but the global body tends to look dimly whenever governments do so directly. https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/ffa-congress-war-takes-twist-after-sport-australia-steps-in
apaway
Roar Guru
Where does it state that synthetic pitches are not "FFA-approved?" Sydney FC played Rockdale on a synthetic pitch in this season's cup. They also played Sydney United on a synthetic pitch in last year's cup. I'm sure there are other examples.
apaway
Roar Guru
My understanding was the Apia-Victory game was moved to Leichhardt Oval because the expected crowd size was too big for Lambert Park. After all, Sydney FC played Rockdale on a synthetic pitch in the previous round.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Spot on
Neil
Guest
To play football.
Fadida
Guest
Are they? I haven't heard them
Waz
Roar Rookie
No one has said “there is no point” to the NPL.
Waz
Roar Rookie
The NPL clubs are asking what’s the point of the NPL. So maybe we should listen?
Onside
Guest
Mikes question 'What is the point of the National Premier Leagues'? is simply rhetorical , that emphasises the extent players , clubs, and supporters love the game, the only reward in its purest form , just to compete, just to be part of it.
mattq
Roar Rookie
same could be asked about the A-League (or any competition level really), what's the point? In the A-League, it's the same teams playing over and over again and what does winning the premiership or the toilet seat really mean? nothing. what earnings are derived from it? Sure participation in the ACL is a good thing (but not financially). Anything else? What's the point!?
Fadida
Guest
Exactly Kanga, this is the point of the NPL. Tell the3-5k who turn up for the NPL final tomorrow that there is no point
Fadida
Guest
"Lol" is beneath you Waz. It's naive to think that because we reference other sports it's "holding us back". I'd argue this constant gnashing of teeth because we aren't yet carbon copies of 100 year old European leagues is doing more harm. Like it or not, the second tier AFL, NRL and Union comps, semi professional, aren't asking "what is the point of us". I don't think the NPL teams are either. Most realise their natural place, which is why only SMH have applied for expansion positions. We are much more akin to America, where there are a number of competing sports. The MLS is thriving, despite not having a European model.
Newie
Guest
Thanks for that, I'm curious about how that'll work. The late Mike Cockerill was a fervent promoter of the idea of the second level and creating the links. It must happen. I do wonder how things get kept equitable if the A-League becomes independent from the FFA. Why would an independent A-League, with clubs owned by big multinationals agree to a system that might dump them into a lower league that isn't as financially stable? Why would they be motivated to help the grassroots without the FFA being able to mandate certain things like minimum number of youth players, maximum cap for visa players etc. It may not matter for the bigger clubs as they could spend their way out of relegation, perhaps it might be more pertinent for mid to lower level clubs like the Mariners. What if Wellington Phoenix was relegated? etc Cheers
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Transfer fees are desperately needed At the moment it seems Melbourne city are the beneficiaries of getting talent for free from other Australian clubs then making a profit from this , with no trickle down transfer fee to the clubs that did all the work.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Morning All Mike i can see your points and I am not totally disagreeing with them, but I think we need to look at it from all angles. Firstly it's the NPL that has kept these clubs alive until the 2nd division comes to fruition. I might be wrong but now that Stephen "Hand-Brake" Lowy is about to move to the next phase of his career I don't think that it's too far away. Secondly we can not be like Rugby where the game consists of so many microcosms that they make the universe look ordinary. The NPL gives young players a pathway and the NPL additionally provides interstate competition i.e. it facilities a national standard, it's faciliting football infrastrucure. We had to start somewhere andcwe have established the first phases of a truly national football structure and it will evolve and grow as soon as the Hand-Brake is released.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
In recent memory every Newcastle born player in the A league has played for a local npl club at some age eg Edgeworth Broadmedow Thornton Adamstown etc In past years Newcastle footballers filled the old nsl through the Newcastle breakers or Olympic and Marconi, many who played for Australia. I’m pretty sure Jordan Murray father peter played in the old nsl for Wollongong after he left Newcastle. The interesting question is why didn’t either of the 2 Sydney clubs pick up Murray On a personal level , I enjoy the npl more then the A league. So much more variety with 24 clubs in the top 2 divisions .
Mister Football
Roar Guru
One way or the other, the current NPL should be viewed as a precursor to some sort of B-League and P&R.
Tezza
Guest
Mike, perhaps as a journalist you maybe able to help find out why Football Qld changed their direction from the start of the season and will not relegate a side from the NPL that has finished on the bottom of the table for 2 years in a row, Yes I realise Cairns and Townsville handed back their Npl licences. Peninsula Power and Easts will come up making it a 15 team NPL and 11 team lower division. meaning both competitions will now have a bye round.I have heard from more than 6 different source that Football qld were threatened with legal action if the Sunshine Coast were relegated. We cannot continue to have Football Governing bodies making decisions to the detriment of the top flight competitions in our country.