FFA Governance

D as in... due, delivery, doh,

Deliverance. From all the travails surrounding our uncertain future. That would do it. 

Do the FFA work Weekends?

Fixed

https://www.ffa.com.au/news/new-leagues-working-group-nlwg-reaches-principle-agreement-recommendations-a-new-era-football

Cheers, I still use the app-it doesn't link.

Nothing explicit about the Phoenix but there's talk of the twelve teams having their ip in perpetuity which obviously includes them.

Can one of you smart people digest and regurgitate the article for us sillies? I had a quick glance but no time to go over it today...

This caught my eye though
'FFA and APFCA to immediately progress long-form agreements reflecting NLWG recommendations with completion targeted by August'

Is this good news for us?

I know nothing, but stuff are reporting that it is looking positive

As a nix fan, this makes me nervous;

FFA to hold “Good of the Australian Game” rights and governance representation.

FFA removes Phoenix to give Canberra the license in a move that they believe is for the good of the Australian game...etc.

Our future is yet to be confirmed is the view from this line but we have not been excluded in the detail released 

"

• FFA and APFCA to immediately progress long-form agreements reflecting NLWG recommendations with completion targeted by August"

12 clubs includes all a-league and 1 extra (Canberra) due to the W-league team.

This bit however "The NLWG recommendations include a number of “Good of the Australian Game” veto rights to be held by FFA"

is a worry.

It's not bad news. There are, however, a couple of things in there that we would need to know details of/clear answer to before I'd be ready to say it's definitely good news.

Having said that, the rumours coming out of Australia the last couple of weeks suggest that we should be OK, so hopefully that gets confirmed unambiguously in August.

For what its worth, Here is what Dome has to say.

Phoenix general manager David Dome said the club's place in the A_league was "now secure," following Monday's announcement.

"There's a bit of work yet to be done. There's still quite a lot of legalese that needs to get over the line, but it's well underway.

I read it as the FFA only has veto rights, so they can't propose a motion such as the example you mentioned. What is more is likely is if there is a solid expansion bid from say Auckland FC, and a less than solid but existing bid from Canberra and the APFCA approve of Auckland. Then FFA could veto the Auckland FC expansion team in support of Canberra as being good for the Australian game.

That makes sense.

I think I'm just naturally pessimistic with all of this as we've seemingly heard it all before - how many times have we been saved, and how many times have we been kicked out? Probably about 3 or 4 times each at this stage.

APFCA view

APFCA Chair, Paul Lederer:

“For the Professional Game in Australia, and indeed the game as a whole in our country, these recommendations are the foundations for a critically needed evolution and vitalization. Once executed they will create the environment for investment and associated opportunities that we all want to see. The 12 member clubs of APFCA are focused on completing the NLWG process and beginning the transformation process in earnest. Our members are committed to investing in and delivering the elevation of all three of our National Professional Leagues to the status they deserve and the levels that all of the stakeholders of our game rightfully expect. The real work begins now.”

I wouldn’t sweat that, it will only allow FFA to maintain its “ownership” of the game. To use this as a tool to oust the Phoenix would be legal suicide.

I've said plenty about David Dome in the past, but the fact he has delivered this is a huge feather in his cap.  We were gone for all money 2 years ago, so this is an enormous achievement and a real legacy.

Isn't this Rob rather than Domey though?

Both, but probably about 80% Rob. Rob has been the guy who has saved this club, no bones about it - most other owners would've bowed out. He deserves huge credit. Domey has done a very good job putting positive spins on dire situations.

Also, a big get fudgeed to Rudan who said they were being naive.

Also, a big get fudgeed to Rudan

this^^

"Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?"

I do not believe that the Nix has a future beyond 19/20 until I see the words "licence extended" (or "renewed") in some official document.

I tend to agree as there have been so many false dawns; but this still looks very positive. When even Vince Rugari says it secures our spot in the league for the foreseeable future, then things are looking up.

You won't ever see that as there are no longer licenses. The Phoenix are owners of the comp now.

I'm not sure that's the case quite yet, at least in the transitional period. For example, there's this:

'The Leagues be relieved of the licence payment obligation for the next four seasons in order that investment in the long-term sustainability and growth of the League is maximised. In effect, this recommendation will see FFA re-invest its licence fee in the Australian professional game in order to help ensure longer-term sustainable returns;'

Which implies that some sort of licencing system will remain in place over the next four years, even though the clubs will take ownership of commercial rights. In general, it's quite light on detail and timings on when things are meant to happen, and suspect that it's because it hasn't been worked out yet.

From the Phoenix Twitter account:

The statement was pretty definitive i thought! We are one of the 12 clubs. There are no others. We will be issuing our own statement in due course but reflects the statement made today. Good step forward.

Yup, Domey didn't seem to like my skepticism!

Well, if someone from the FFA or NLWG were to come out and say that "Wellington Phoenix will remain in the A-League until the leagues governance structure decides otherwise", then that would be all there is to it.

But all I'm seeing in this document is: the A-League clubs will own all their commercial and intellectual property. The A-, W- and Y-leagues will be run by a committee of the 12 licence holders, with the FFA having certain veto rights.

Nowhere does it say that WPFC will be one of those 12 licence holders after the end of the coming season.

The only exception is the reference to "the 12 member clubs of APFCA", which does include us. But this wouldn't be the first time that an agreement was reached that meant one thing to one side of negotiations, but something utterly different to the other.

(As a sideline: if we do have a future under this document, I look forward to the Nix getting a W-League team together.)

Have you listened to the latest podcast Doloras? If not fast forward to about half way in.

Dome talks about how Welnix are very keen to get an W League team up and going. Plan is a team of young Kiwis, but based in Australia. Something about FFA not allowing a W League to be based in NZ. Costs?? W League is only about 10 weeks long, so I think plan is players would be in study, or part time work (coaching?) which would hopefully allow them the flexibility to relocate to Aussie for the 10 weeks. I guess be some plan that a few of them would get full time pro gigs overseas, if spotted in the W League.

Anyway they have been doing a lot of work on this project, and have already found a base in Aussie to setup etc.

What is really disappointing is that (according to Dome anyway) NZF have been a major obstacle to this whole project. Too worried about protecting the women's regional federations, and NZ women's national league - which obviously would be weakened if 20 of the best young players were in Australia at the same time as the national women's league. All sounds very short sighted, political BS by NZF. 

Of course there are always two sides to a story, but Welnix are even saying they will finance the whole thing. Hopefully something can be worked out.

Anyway congrats to Rob Morrison on today's news. Sure it ain't over yet, but that man is owed a big thanks from all Nix fans.

Dome was pretty bullish on radio sport this afternoon/evening.

The paperwork has to be signed, but we are in sums it up.

Now that ownership of the comp is going to the clubs, it will be interesting to see if more clubs looked to join the competition, thinking now that it may be financially more viable.

For year every club has basically sat there losing money, if the bleeding stops, and the game potentially turns profitable it will be interesting to see where bids pop up.

I would love to see the day where there is also a Auckland and Christchurch team in the comp. I do believe, realistically NZF could support 3 teams eventually.

That's really ironic if trrue, because the NZ regional leagues already hate NZF for skimming the top women's talent for the FFDP!

Thanks for the info - I don't have the patience to listen to pods

That rich Ruskie Slava Meyn who bankrolls Christchurch United, wants to eventually launch an A League side.

Would be the ultimate slap in the face for Auckland football, if a bid came from the Garden City first.

I haven't listened to the pod, but NZF surely don't have resistance to a Nix W-League team? They've hoped there would be one by now? Was meant to be a part of the FFDP, is listed in their various strategic plans? 

Resistance to a Nix entry in the NWL, which does nothing new, is another matter.

I don't remember him saying that? 

From 44 mins.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/thekidsareallwhite/episodes/2019-06-27T03_29_32-07_00

Sorry my bad partly. 

Sounds like NZF pushing back on a Nix National Women's League team, which would then evolve into a W League team. Totally funded by Welnix

new agreement means licences wont exist, all clubs will own 1/12 of the league.

so completely different. good one