Football in Australia: A dodgy builder who forgot the foundations

The loss of the AIS was big, but it was great to see and hear stories about the u16 national scouting camp in Townsville recently. I agree that the NPL Academy/SAP system and younger NPL teams are extremely well set up. Professional approach with fully qualified paid coaches, allowing a far wider net to find talent than what the AIS or older traditional clubs had. I think the Talent camp is an excellent idea that should be running at all ages from U12 and up with national coaches, at every school holiday period. Linked with the state's TSP system, we should be seeing the best talent from across the country meeting every 10 weeks for an intensive week long camp. This would allow the kids the chance and pathway to really push for those top positions, as well as national coaches and selectors to get to know our upcoming players from very early on to track and shape their development.

"What is the FFA doing." you ask. I sometimes find it hard to think other than its keeping a job

Roberto, agree the grassroots is healthy with regard to numbers, what about quality? Getting young players that AFL, Cricket And the NRL don’t want is not going to get us anywhere. To succeed against the best we need the best.

Jack, Plenty of solutions on this blog if the FFA care to look for them.

Jack I’ve been around for a while and seen and heard a lot of the down right prejudice from the commercial FTA channels against football, so they are not blameless. I was full of hope for the future with appointment of James Johnson, a football man. But to be frank since James appointment out performances have become progressively worse. We simply lack the technical and tactical nouse now in both our players and coaches to mix it with teams in Asia let alone the world. What is the FFA doing. Do they have a long term plan, why are quality young athletes not choosing to play football, broadcasting of football is a shambles. It is now spread over 4 or 5 platforms each demanding fees for viewing. Why not get it all one football platform, has anyone ever tied to reduce the fragmentation. Football is loosing its way, the Socceroos and Matildas brands are loosing respect. Australians like winners, they like up temp exciting football with flare. Some A league games have this but not enough and the small crowds vindicate what I am saying.

Whats the point bringing in more? They need to bring in quality, good players play for free. The grassroots if they want the 11 vs 11 emulate the top level on a full pitch they need to be more so to subsidise the good youth.

Its more likely a business gets an equity partner when its going well. If a business is succesfull and trying to expand then profits even if they are big will not be enough in the short term even if they are reinvested. If a business isn't going well then they will certainly be desperate for an equity partner but finding one will be rare. Usually what will happen is someone does a take over or the business goes into liquidation. Family silver is a tangible asset easily sold, selling a failing business is difficult. Getting 130m for a third of a business with no tangible assets like even a set of silver cutlery thats off the richter scale.

Yes, it's an act of desperation. If you're doing well, you don't need to sell out to an equity partner. You sell the family silver because you're desperate.

Getting a 130m dollar investment for something that was created out of thin air is an act of desperation? The FA would be thinking we gave it away in a deal got 6 million for a third of our portion, but they could have sold it the whole thing themselves for a couple hundred million they would be thinking what have we just done. The AAFC must be ten time as desperate, because their wanting the FA to control the second division. While that saves them putting in to raise the money themselves the FA can then sell off the second division if a miracle happens and its successful.

The GAA already are in Australia, as they are in the US and Canada. They have made limited efforts to take the games beyond the Irish Diaspora.

The obsession with basketball apart from height it makes no sense. What about the black tall American basketballer that was brought over, he ended up having to make a living with kids in basketball. There is a lot of demand in Australia for the glamour sports with parents outlaying the cash. If people want to pay big money to train there kids all good, its not going to effect anything in individual sports even in basketball you cant really hide or pretend, the problem is with large team sports its easier to include players in teams out of favouritism.Gaddafi and Israel Folau for instance, while Gaddafi funded the whole team ,Folau got paid top dollar by the AFL to do it. Gaddafis son and Israel Folau stood out like sore thumbs but if the difference is smaller maybe no one will notice. Thats the central issue while its not quite a whole league of teams of Gaddafis son and Israel Folau's , its along those lines. The Irish business was the AFL's plan to get AFL established in Ireland or establish an international game. An interesting way to develop sporting ties as well bash the opposition with head high cheap shots. Either way what happens if Gaelic Football actually gets the idea to come here instead and tries to establish itself.

If we play the game in winter the TV deal offered will be half of what it is now and we need the money otherwise the league collapses. Secondly, many eastern states clubs do not play in a football only stadium and share their stadium with other winter codes. Scheduling will be an issue not to mention the pitches will be carved up with AFL/NRL lines all over them as football is never the primary tenant in those venues.

Jack, apologies if it came across as rude...just some post-pub banter. The saying you referenced is actually "The whole is 'greater' than the sum of its parts" ...which is topical in relation to the ongoing discussions about what our national coach needs to be able to do. Keep writing!... always good to see new contributers here.

Yet the FA inflates club regos with kids who take part in training camps..... Still, the FA don't do much to promote which would bring more kids in.

Australia has the most over protective parents in the world, so most parents avoid having their kids play rugby and rugby league and to a lesser extent AFL. Having parents pay for coaching and to play is a necessary thing in some sports. Golf a kid cant exactly play in a backyard though I suppose they can get a putting green. Tennis another sport where you need some resources, though in some cases Connors developed at a public court, Pancho Gonzales was a poor kid who hung around at tennis courts grabbing whatever opportunity/ Football is one sport where there is no barrier , Pele could not afford a ball even, he used a stuffed sock and other stuff. In these individual sports also there is no issue finding the best players, you cant pay to fake a golf score or win a tennis match. In motor racing you do have a sport where you need a lot of money to be involved the richest parent can afford the best car. Schumaker was lucky in that another richer parent spotted he was a talent and backed him otherwise no formula one. Formula One its no secret that the wealthy can pay to get a drive at the top. Of course head to head you can see they are inferior in the same car . Football because its a large team game its easier to hide the wealthy kids in a team and the coach can get away with favouring them. The problem in football the rest of the world are all focused on finding the best players, and Australia are now stuck in the motor racing model

There is no shortage of players at the grassroots level what is needed is more grounds, even then I have seen those who cant even afford to play at grassroots who could play NPL , what is missing is no one is trying to identify talent and develop it any more because there are so many rich parents willing to pay top dollar for their kids to take all the top level spots. This is why so many players are now coming from Adelaide the poorest part of Australia, particularly African players, because less rich parents equals opportunity for talent. The FA doesn't need to visit schools to drum up fake rego numbers. What the FA need to do is make their own talent scouts, around the country. At the moment they are just selecting from the NPL clubs, who have sabotaged everything. Visit schools, grassroots clubs, parks hold trials find the best and pay for them to be in the closest NPL club.

Appreciate the support mate, and for all highlighting the depressing nature of this article, I have some solutions coming, let’s hope the editors get it out soon :)

Great question on “who pays” if it’s free — don’t know but if couldn’t cost that much surely? The AIS never had “the best v best” as there was no one else to play but yes, a proper functioning youth league is required.