Mike's Roar Profile

I have no problem with them in the league, but from the FFA’s point of view, it might strengthen the next broadcast agreement if it was an Aussie team instead. :S

FFA sets out 20-year plan for Australian football

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2015

Don’t think it’s too much of a problem in the US at the moment, but they’ve got a lot more clubs (soon to be 24 within a few years).

P/R is an exciting concept, but it’s hard to see getting implemented anytime soon. At this rate, I can see a handful of NPL teams becoming professional and then being used to form a B-League. But whether or not there is P/R is difficult to say. Ideally, yes. Realistically, maybe not yet.

Why the NPL needs our attention

So interesting that you’ve made that point, as I was thinking the same thing last night. While I’m happy and content with the current A-League model, I couldn’t help but wonder “What if…?”

Unlimited foreigners and no salary cap could almost double the attendance and memberships (well, where possible, in stadia big enough), quadruple the ratings, and propel football to the forefront of the Australian culture landscape, which will then filter down, as you say.

I suppose it’s a matter of debating what is better for the national team in the long run. Is it having 10 (or 12 or 14) professional A-League clubs which youngsters can aspire to join, despite being only the 3rd or 4th biggest sport in the country. Or would it be shifting the football culture, and where there may be a seemingly limited number of spots in the A-League for locals, they would feel the drive and inspiration to pursue such a career, because it is culturally instilled in them?

Open the A-League floodgates and introduce unlimited foreign imports

I’d never insult the A-League, but just because an Aussie team won the ACL once does not mean we will start getting 4 automatic spots.

FFA needs to campaign for additional ACL spots

2014

I’d love to one day see 4 automatic spots, but that might not happen for long time, if ever. We’ve got some stiff competition from Japan, Korea and China, which, frankly, have better leagues than us (I know China has had its ups and downs, but it is rising quickly now).

If they allocate an automatic spot to the FFA Cup winner, it’d definitely be the Grand Final winner spot. The Premiers spot should stay as is. After all, with the current system, a team who has had a mediocre season, finished 6th on the table, and then wins the next 3 games in a row is granted an ACL spot.

The timezone problem may be a very real one. It doesn’t coincide with either Europe or South America (or even North America). That’s part of the reason why it’s an uphill battle for Australia to host it.

But China has a lot more political and economic power to sway it back to Asia.

Could Australia theoretically host a football World Cup?

I’ve been thinking the same thing. If it is stripped, it would likely go to America. But I couldn’t see Australia getting 2026 over China. China have already stated their intention to bid soon. They have the facilities, the transport, the money, and have hosted the Olympics.

Plus they have a HUGE following for European football (can’t remember the tv ratings figure, but it was extraordinarily high).

His statements are the same that any CEO would deliver. It’s not so different to Microsoft Vs Apple, or any other duopolies.

The corporate world is fierce, and companies will gain nothing from playing the peaceful card. Just look at the Greens Vs Liberal and Labour.

David Gallop's statements are not what is necessary

Wow. Don’t know how to react. Absolutely amazing effort, and a moment that will forever live in Australian football history.

I also love that when it comes to the ACL we can put our rivalries aside and support whichever Aussie club has gone the distance! 🙂

Western Sydney Wanderers claim Asian Champions League crown

Would love to see some NPL matches broadcast. Watching some of the teams in action really shows that a semi-pro outfit can wreak havoc across the pitch, and some of these players are later rewarded with A-League contracts.

Some extra funds would go a long way. But in general I think we’ll see an increase in NPL quality over the years, especially with the mandatory coaching licences needed as part of the National Competitions Review. That, along with further expansion of the leagues, should really make for a great comp.

Old football versus new football debate is over - bring on the NPL

Agree with you there. While it’d be great to have all the matches live streamed, we have to respect and appreciate FoxSports’ involvement. They could’ve easily said no to broadcasting any matches this season. But they’ve taken a chance on the inaugural comp, and it has really helped the FFA Cup a lot.

I’ll happily take 10 high quality broadcasted matches over 32 low quality online streamed matches.

Why has the FFA blocked live FFA Cup streams?

Not too sure what tournament you were watching. Most would agree that this WC was far better than the previous one. Just look at how many games had to go to penalties and extra time.

Germany is the worst team to have ever won a World Cup

Mind. Blown.

The death of the Euro snob: What Villa means to the A-League

And that is what I love about football: regardless of the odds, it only takes a goal to win.

And while the odds are certainly against us, and I’m not expecting anything miraculous, I’m certainly not about to entirely write Australia off. We played well against Italy in ’06, who were the eventual champs. And then Switzerland beat Spain in ’10.

So yes, we’ve got a challenging time ahead, but this is a sport where anything can happen at any time. And that’s not me being naive or having an unnecessary amount of blind faith, but rather that I’m going to watch the Cup and enjoy each Australia match knowing that anything is possible. 🙂

Reality check for all real fans of football in Australia

13 for Brazil, 14 for Australia.

Oar leads Socceroos' generation next

Good stuff. I love hearing stories like this about our next generation of national stars. And he certainly impressed me in the South Africa match.

People don’t have high hopes for next month, but I’ll happily take a smashing at the WC if it means the Socceroos will have enough experience to win the Asian Cup.

I agree with you there Mid. I’m happy just to watch the WC and enjoy.

Football in Oz is being revolutionised as we speak. At this rate, within a couple of decades we’ll be ranked in the Top 20 on a consistent basis.

Ange's Socceroos in it for the long haul

I don’t think we’ll be humiliated, regardless of the score. We’ve made it to the world stage, and that’s enough for me. Uruguay almost didn’t even qualify for the tournament. Now THAT’S humiliating.

Besides, there’s no pressure for the Socceroos. They can go and give it their best shot, and that’s it. Teams like Spain, Italy, Brazil, Argentina and Germany are under immense pressure, as they’re fans are expecting nothing short of winning the comp. I expect the Aussies to qualify for the WC; anything beyond that is a bonus. 🙂

Exactly. The Socceroos have nothing to lose by launching an all-out attack. You can’t win the World Cup by parking the bus.

People need to look at the team in the long-term. As most experts in the industry have said, Ange’s focus should be getting the team ready for the Asian Cup and 2018 WC.

Good read Riley. I’m with you.

I was blown away by all the people saying ‘Ange out’ on social media. I thought maybe it was a joke at first. He needs time to mould the side properly. Just look at Adelaide United: they had a slow start to the season, but by the end they had really gone into the swing of Gombau’s tactics, and had become very powerful.

I watched the first half of the Socceroos match and thought they played really well. Lots of attacking. There were certainly many missed opportunities, but I’d rather have a national team that attacks hard and misses a few goals than a team who is stuck in the back half for 90 minutes.

I’ll happily take the growth. The A-League has come pretty far in 9 seasons, so I’ll happily take the international broadcast deals. 🙂

As for India, it’s good to see them have an interest in football. China, India and Indonesia are the world’s 1st, 2nd and 4th most populated countries. If they pump some cash into some infrastructure and change a few things around, there’s no stopping them from becoming dominant in Asia over the coming decades. Of course, that would make World Cup qualification for us much harder. But on the other hand, it’d make the ACL more prestigous. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Although maybe I’ll just throw this thought out there: an Asian team could possibly win the WC this century.

India could be a cash cow for Australian football

The NPL hasn’t been without its problems, but it’s a great long-term idea. It isn’t so much a ‘re-branding’, but rather it implements certain criteria to pave the way for grassroots players. For example, the clubs chosen to be in the NPL weren’t just selected because of their history or on-field quality; they had to be prepared to be in it for the long haul, committing to a whole range of things such as higher coaching licenses, facilities, etc.

Give it some time. I like that the FFA is putting a heavy emphasis on the grassroots and younger players, because it will have a massive effect on the entire sport within a decade or two, if not sooner.

As for your title question: Is there a future for lower-tier football, I’d say most definitely! If/when the NPL can have on-field quality that reaches the same level as the current A-League, then we’ll know that we have a well constructed and highly competitive second tier. 🙂

Is there a future for lower-tier football in Australia?

It’s going to be a great year. And for me, the best part is that the A-League Grand Final was well and truly shown in the mainstream media. It was the headline story on Sunrise the day after the game, and the day before there was a long interview with Bosnich on Triple M. Can’t say the same about Channel 10’s coverage though. They only showed highlights after they showed the NBA.

FFA Cup is going to be awesome. Only 88 member federation clubs remain in qualification.

Plenty of football to watch despite A-League's conclusion

Good stuff. It was an excellent match, and I can only imagine how amazing the atmosphere would have been.

Hopefully now with 3 titles the Brisbane people will embrace football even further and increase their memberships/attendances. That combined with the Man City/Heart takeover might just see us get over 100k memberships.

Season 10 is sure to be amazing, and especially as it is starting not too long after the World Cup and first stages of the FFA Cup. Should be a wonderful year for football. 🙂

Football is here to stay in Australia

Absolutely. He’s a wise administrator. 😉

And he’s right – the A-League won’t suffer without replacement marquees. They certainly help, but Heskey and Kewell and Engelaar spent the majority of the season injured.

Would love to see Lampard and Drogba though! I think we’ve just seen only the beginning of what the A-League can dish out. HAL 10 is going to be amazing.

Marquees not as key for A-League: Gallop

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