A-League clubs are preparing for a competition re-start in August with Wellington Phoenix to base in NSW for a two-week quarantine period.
While Football Federation Australia (FFA) is yet to officially detail the league’s resumption, clubs are preparing for a July training phase ahead of an August return to games.
The league was suspended on March 24 with five rounds, plus finals, remaining.
All games are likely to be played in Sydney at venues without spectators.
Phoenix will follow the path of the Warriors in the NRL in flying to Australia for a 14-day isolation period ahead of training.
“A bit like the Warriors, we would head over for two weeks of quarantine,” , Wellington’s general manager David Dome told the NZ Herald.
“We would train for a couple of weeks, then go out of isolation, then train for two more weeks … then hit the ground with the resumption of the A-League.”
Dome said the health of Wellington players remained top priority before the competition resumed after halting because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
“We have to make sure the right protocols are in place,” he said.
“We’ve said from day one it has to be about the safety of the players, no-one wants to put them at risk.
“We want to make sure we have the best possible options, processes, procedures and structures in place.”
While Sydney was the expected hub, Dome said sufficient training venues and match-day venues were yet to be settled.
“We have to find venues for all the teams coming in from the other states and we have to find grounds to play in,” he said.
“There’s quite a bit of work to get through and we want to make sure we get that stuff right.”
Perth Glory owner Tony Sage said ground availability was a pressing question, given the NRL would return from May 28 and use some stadiums used by soccer.
“The difficulty we have now is in NSW with the NRL playing, what grounds are available because the two big ones – Kogarah and Bankwest Stadium – will obviously be used for NRL,” Sage told Perth radio station 91.3 Sport FM.
“That is an added complication to the mix so the FFA obviously have got the whole of May and June to work out logistics.”
Sage said it would be easier for the league and clubs to be based in the same city.
“It’s just easier with all of the players having the same conditions – quarantine, testing,” he said.
“If you have it in the five different states, it’s five different testing regimes for the players, it might not happen on an equal basis.
“So I think the hub idea is a lot better than doing that.”
Hermes
Guest
In 2021, the the top tier of Australian football will be back to semi-professional status and playing out of suburban grounds except for the derbies. Probably 3 or 4 clubs will collapse which will show how feeble the how clownshow was right from the beginning. Then the A-league will come begging to the so-called former NSL "violent ethnic" clubs to make up the numbers. It will be an ignoble end to sad 10 year plus experiment but the beginning of a real football league comprised of real historical clubs run by Australians.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
I think the FFA will just can the FFA Cup for 2020 as there are way to many Qualifying Rounds that would need to be rushed for it to happen
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
a few players have been seen on social media, Tom, Scott, Jamie and others. I saw Bozza talking with Robbie on Fox about his playing days. I would've thought that if there was even an inkling that he may not return, it would've come up. He did say at the start that he didn't know England would be as bad as it is. I'd think the chance of football competitions going ahead are far higher here than in the UK.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
if at all? I assume you're making that up.
Waz
Roar Rookie
They’re talking about starting the season in october as planned, the tv contract is apparently pretty specific on that. My guess would be: August - current season finishes September - abridged FFA Cup Comp October - new season start.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
If SFC wrap up the championship I don’t think it will need an * Waz, but no matter who wins the grand final, there’ll be an *. There’s always an * on the grand final winner, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it when we lift that toilet seat, again.
Chopper
Guest
Any idea when Robbie Fowler is coming back if at all Waz? How many of the Roar squad are actually in Australia?
Kevin
Roar Rookie
I think next year will be the “2021 A-League,” no 2020. Assuming the GF is in late September, it probably wont start until 2021.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
Good news. All state and territory borders should be open by then, and the ANZ "bubble" will probably be in place, so no worries about the Phoenix continuing. It might mean that the the following season doesn't start until November. Merit in pushing the season out to a calendar year basis? Might be the perfect opportunity, align the Australian football pyramid, at least in terms of their seasons.
Waz
Roar Rookie
It’s going to be an odd finish to this season which will forever have an * next to the year. It will finish off more like an FA Cup replay away to tooting & mitchem on a wet & windy Wednesday in January than a league competition. SFC will still be favourites but the chasing pack of City, Nix, Roar, and Glory will all have lost momentum on what was building to be an outstanding finals series.