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J-League: Can the A-League men learn from it, or is it out of our reach?

Josk new author
Roar Rookie
29th July, 2022
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Josk new author
Roar Rookie
29th July, 2022
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Should the APL or FA look to find ways to improve the A-League – or more broadly football in Australia – it is important that we have a look at other overseas leagues for what we can learn from them.

Of course, it is only natural that we look for the most valuable leagues with the best quality, namely the English Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, all which are valued at over €5 billion, contain the best players in the world, and the best clubs.

But that’s not the A-League Men and it is not what it once looked like nor is it what it will look like. The A-League cannot bring in or produce quality that would make it a valuable league, and not be treated like it is. So, do we look at the other leagues in Europe?

Not quite, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there is more relevance in producing and transferring players. For example, the Belgian and Dutch leagues are not the most prolific or large, but still have decent clubs and a more importantly, a strong national team due to the abundance of football academies and better opportunities and pathways (even outside their country) for young players.

Western United

Western United lift the A-League Men trophy. (Photo by Dave Hewison/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

And other European leagues? Things may be similar financially, but the key difference for me is that in many countries in Europe, football is the most covered and prolific sport, and while in Australia, although football is the most played sport, the coverage of the main league is thin.

So what other leagues find themselves historically in irrelevance, finds itself battling with other sports for popularity, but is ultimately succeeding? Why, look no further than the J-League.

While both Australia and Japan have dominated Asia over the past decade and a half (and to some extent currently) Japanese football has surged, in what could be credited to the leagues.

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Recently signing a TV broadcasting deal worth over AUD$2 billion, the J League is on the rise. To show how much quality the Japanese football pyramid is quickly gaining, just look at how two of Australia’s best league players, Mitchell Duke and Stefan Mauk, have moved to a second division team – Fagiano Okayama – in Japan.

According to Mitsuru Mirai, chairman of the J League until this year, speaking at the World Football Summit Asia 2019, club management, youth development and digital development have been the key to its success.

Stefan Mauk

Stefan Mauk. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

All of these are relevant for Australian football.

Club management is a big one. All clubs in the J League must ‘have a long term vision which will never change’ and no club has had ‘debts’ or was ‘involved in violent riots or match-fixing’, according to Mirai.

J League clubs are efficient, and manage the clubs well. In comparison, while the formation of the APL may change things, clubs on all levels struggle with debts and foreign ownership causes lack of transparency and connection to fans. Take the Newcastle Jets succumbing to debts of nearly $13 million due to Martin Lee’s ownership.

So if clubs were managed more effectively, and had an identity and vision, wouldn’t that result in a better future for the club?

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Secondly is youth development,

COVID-19 caused many A League clubs to lose experienced players, only for that to give more opportunities for young players. In total, 28 percent of minutes were given to U23 players in the 2020/21 season, compared to 19 percent in 2018/19, resulting in a shock U23 2-0 win over Argentina at the Olympics.

The A League Men must realise that this is good for its league as well: more profile was given to those olyroos, who then become exciting talents, who might be bought for a fee as well.

If that was a single year, imagine what a long term plan of the exact same thing would result in!

J League clubs must run their own academies and youth teams, and financial incentives are in place for clubs that more successfully develop youth players.

Would financial incentives encourage youth development in cash-strapped A League clubs? Most likely.

And finally, digital development.

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The world has shifted into a world where online prolificness is vital. A centralised digital platform in Japan can collect data from people interested in the sport and also publicise the sport.

In fairness to the APL, the $30 million platform KEEPUP was released in a hope to convert regular football fans into A League fans. A gamble, but one that you could argue was necessary. Time will tell whether it is effective.

So, why would we look at Japan if they seem to be so ahead in these aspects? And the J Professional Football League consists of three divisions, and many more clubs than the A League Men.

But both the A League Men and the J League have had its share of struggles. Both find itself competing with other, arguably more publicised sports, and both have relatively difficult pathways for its youth being outside Europe. And like I mentioned, nationally, Australia and Japan have been powerhouses in Asia.

So even though the J League has more money, players, talent, there is no reason why FA and the APL shouldn’t learn off it.

What the J League has targeted – club management, youth and digital development – are all things that Australian football can develop around, and succeed around. They are all achievable and can be planned and managed for.

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The Japanese faced similar conditions to Australia in terms of their global football status, but have succeeded in producing a strong league with strong players. So just like clubs in Japan, the A League Men need a clearer vision and should look at the things that made the J League successful, and hopefully put our league and national teams back in the right direction.

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