ASB Premiership: Changes Needed Next Season

I've just had a look at the JD for the Competitions Manager role as it would be something I would look at. Is anyone surprised that he can't get anything done? He's supposed to be running the strategy of the thing as well as looking after the operational side of it all. At the same time as running NZF events.

That's a two person job easily, or at least a full-time gig and someone in ASBP season to look after the operation side so the lead person can be looking at the bigger picture.

Where would Wairarapa play - Greytown? I hope it's Nelson and one other Auckland franchise that gets the nod. Still think the ASBP should stay at eight (a NZ-Under 20 or Nix academy would not be good ideas) so the resources aren't diluted even further than they are.

Does anyone know any details of this North Shore bid?

Wouldn't a Nix academy team simply squeeze further interest in Team Wellington? I'd rather NZF invested in prizemoney for the ASBP than spent on an Under-20 team to compete.

team welly is really the nix academy, although there is some resistance to this happening.  if welnix have their way, the asb prem will have a crappy youth team in it next season and wellington will effectively be without proper representation

wairarapa would play at masterton i suspect.  it's a bit of a bog though.  at the moment they play at the metropolis of caterton on a sheep paddock.  i'm sure keinzley would come up with something decent for the asb prem though

If TW and the Nix academy become one next season how does this fit in the Fifa 30-day standdown rule between a so-called amateur league and a professional league? Is that being wavered by NZF so that any Nix academy/TW player can be called up to the Phoenix first team and then drop back to the ASBP at will? Will a player be able to play for the Phoenix first team one week and then drop back to the ASBP the next?

Also how does this sit as far as a player on a regular professional pay structure playing against players on other teams who are really only getting expenses (I exclude most ACFC/Waitakere players in this)? Doesn't that seem unfair on tightly-budgeted sides like Otago, Manawatu, Waikato but then I suppose you could argue that already exists?

Where would a second Wellington team come from - perhaps Hutt Valley? Wouldn't Nelson in the ASBP be a better option? 

 Listen to the podcast (out tonight) to find out more. Not becoming one club as such, but the ties between the two are going to be tighter.

why don't you just tell us?

i hate listening to guy talk (just kidding bro)

Wouldn't make much difference if tgis seasons Phoenix 'A' is anything to go by.... Might give manawatu a chance of winning a game! Haha!

Some very simple assumptions based on not much. 

a rather rude statement, backed up by nothing

If you're referring to my statement then a) it's a joke and b) it's backed up by results

 hey, sorry man, i got the wrong end of the stick, i do apologise

This forum needs more emoticons.

Nix seem very keen to tighten this relationship with TW so I can't see there being a second Wellington side.

The pity is TW doesn't seem to attract much Wellington interest any more after starting out with a bang. Would another Wellington side bring in the neutrals or is it just too hard for any ASBP team to grab attention in the hometown of the Phoenix?

Going on the basis of 1.2 million population then Auckland should have four ASBP teams - ACFC, Waitakere, South Auckland and a north shore side would be the obvious. Throw in CU,TW,Nelson (or Otago) and Hawke's Bay and there's a good 8-team league. Sorry, but Manawatu and Waikato just don't cut the mustard any more and anyway, Waikato players could join South Auckland as geographically they're close.

No worries

WHAT!!!!  and miss out on the HUGE media / LiveTV coverage .....!!

Each team produce hi lights package - loaded to NZFC Internet channel by Thursday after game. Have to start with some coverage of each game. Then build for TV 

Maybe from each team's highlights of weekly games there could be a short weekly round up of the comp with a minute or two on each game, then showcasing 'player of the week', 'saves of the week', 'goals of the week' etc...

Sounds good to me. Imagine if we could get this on TV as well as make it available on the internet. It doesn't cost much to ensure a video camera at each game. Hats off to those who provide the current coverage.

Looks like there may be an announcement about the league numbers for the 2013-14 season late this week.

what's the juice?

status quo, two more teams or four more teams?

i hear that NZF have been casting the net wider than the original submissions

Maybe not later this week now with the All Whites set to play in Dunners.

Ceretainly I hope not and increase of four more teams. Is differcult as I can see the current teams wanting to move to three rounds rather than have an increase but if there is teams waiting in the wings and pressing NZF for a spot.

The Nelson Mail has already said the league is expanding by two teams.

Would places like Invercargill or Gisborne be able to support a team in the ASB Premiership? Or even somewhere like Whangarei?

no.

Maybe Whangerei. My bet is Nelson and South Auckland will be the new franchises. Can't see the squabbling North Shore clubs in Auckland getting their act together, which is a pity.

Certainly don't think the ASBP can support 12 teams so my guess is it'll expand by two unless two current franchises drop out (Manawatu and Waikato perhaps?) The question is where all these extra up-to-standard players are going to come from, not to mention the required sponsorship money. It'll also mean any O League prizeomney being diluted further between the sides, unless NZF takes its snout out the trough.

I would love to see wholesale change with domestic footy in NZ. I was actually having a good think about it recently and came up with a few ideas. I'm sure many will disagree but it'd make domestic footy exciting again...

League Structure:

* Get rid of the current franchise-based national league and return to a club-based
national league. The franchises are merely artificial regional sides and they
impact negatively on club sides. For instance, how can it be fair for a club to
start their season with a squad and then supplement that squad with players
from the NZFC season? Or clubs that “call on” NZFC players for the Chatham Cup?
It’s not a fair system and does NZ football no good at all.

* Get a proper pyramid system in place where clubs can have something to strive
towards. That is to say, have the national league at the top of the pyramid and
then the Northern, Central and Southern (bring it back) leagues running at the
same time underneath it. The winners of the three regional Premier leagues
could then play-off against each other, with the winner going into the National
League at the bottom National League side’s expense.

* For the aforementioned play-off series, the home side would be determined by who
had the best record in their league campaign. This could start with number of
points and then, if required, go down to goal difference.

* Prize money could be awarded by National League and Regional League placings but
would be heavily dependent on league sponsorship. Would the likes of Air New
Zealand, Westpac, Westfield, ANZ etc not be willing to sponsor the league if
there was perhaps one live match a week shown on weekends? That programme could
also be supplemented by the goals from the other National League matches that
weekend? Surely SKY or TVNZ would fancy picking this up?

* The winner of the National League would go into the Oceania Champions League.

* Make a strict criteria for National League entry, but not prohibitive. For instance
all participating clubs must have their own club rooms, dressing rooms, proper
fencing around the pitch and seating for, say, 400 people. Already clubs like
Napier City Rovers, Central United, Wellington United, Christchurch United etc
would be in a position to compete.

* Clubs of all divisions could help to finance their operations by, not only league and
sponsorship money, but also charging a minimal amount for entry to games (throw
in a free team sheet or programme to sweeten the deal), as well as the proceeds
from clubhouses.

Chatham Cup:

* This needs to be returned to its former glory, with an incentive for clubs to win
it. Prize money for each round would be awarded to the winning clubs.

* Make the final the crowning glory of the season. Hold the final at a proper stadium,
dependent on which clubs make the final, and televise the game live on NZBC or
Sky. For instance, two Auckland clubs could play at Mount Smart or North
Harbour. Two Wellington clubs could play at Westpac Stadium. Two Christchurch
at QEII Stadium. Two Dunedin at Forsyth Barr Stadium and so on. If you have an
Auckland and a Christchurch side, they could play halfway at Westpac in
Wellington. Whichever sides make it, there will be a geographical compromise
for a top stadium. Also make this game the final game of the whole NZ season.
Give players and fans that “fairytale, magic of the cup” day they deserve. And
it’d be great to see a Northern League Division Two side take on a National
League side from Christchurch, for example. Or a lower club side from the
Southern League travel to a Wellington side in the National League.

Youth / U21 League:

* A competitive but not financially crippling youth league is a must. The kids in
NZ need a place to hone their talents and stepping stone to the highest level
possible. I would propose an Under-21 league.

* All teams at National League level and those with the funds in other divisions,
could run a team on a regional basis which would be for players under the age
of 21, but also allowing three players over the age of 21 on the pitch at any
one time. This would allow squad players from the first team’s to gain match
practise and also bring the younger players through at the same time.

* To keep costs down, run these Under-21 divisions on a regional basis, ie:
Northern, Central and Southern. Or even by local federation if needs be. The
winners of each of a Northern, Central and Southern Region could then play-off
to decide the winner of the Under-21 title.

OK, so people will pick a lot of holes in these suggestions, notably funding, but I
think it would definitely bring back the competitive edge to domestic football
in NZ. Give the fans and sponsors a good product and they will be interested if
approached in the right way…

Paul you've obviously put a lot of time and effort into your suggestion, and while it sounds great the reality is the money is not there and never will be. There's probably 500 extremely dedicated and passionate football people on this forum, and unless one of us has a spare $100m to fund all this, it won't happen. Those big companies you mention will never sponsor a NZ club based national league.

This structure failed many years ago when tobacco sponsorship stopped, and small local clubs bankrupted themselves by paying stupid money to greedy and rubbish players who they thought would lead them to the promised land of a National League from Northern Division 3.Too many clubs still waste money on these sorts of players and imports who watched a trial at Liverpool once.Local clubs need to be there to develop kids, and the majority of money should go on developing coaches and facilities so this can happen

Paul I want to slam your post but I won't because you made it on reasonable grounds. It does have a romanticism element about it that in a perfect world, yes. It's not a perfect world though.

Rizz basically spells it out that the money is not there. You will have clubs that will break the bank to get there, last 2 years in the lower half and fade away when the funding dries up. Is that any better than now? I don't know to be honest.

I personally am not sure which model is best if I am honest so I am a fence sitter. Having been around in the old days, football has not moved with the times in this country from its halicon days. I do think that summer football is best but think they have the wrong day and time slot (3pm Saturday).

The reality is, ASB have pumped in 2.5 mil a year for 4 years and we still can't get domestic finals on TV or attract other sponsors on board. One would be better placed to asked where that 2.5 is going because from the outside, the answer would be 'down the drain'

I would also hasten to add that a lot of what you put above, was meant to be criteria for the current franchise league but was skirted because of costs. How does rebooting the league (again) fix all the above when cost will still be the same issue in the next incarnation?

perfect world like has been said above - your suggestions are good..  I am afraid we are stuck with the current model though..

What i would like to see is:

ASBP - two full rounds (not three) - but have a full youth league comp with the youth teams as the curtain raiser (it can't cost too much more to do this that the current model and i would prefer it to expanding the main league to three rounds).

Make the youth league under 21's and make a rule that the main team must have 3 U21's in match day squad (no overage players in U21's - not sure about this, i'm not that fussed either way)

Cap on non OFC players (maybe include aussies as local players as well)

make a minimum/maximum per player "expense" payment.

Expand into south auckland and possibly nelson in the next two years

scrap the regulations about covered stands etc - just make it a regulation that teams film their games to a set standard which can be given to  NZF to give to SKY/free to air/whoever for a weekly highlights show (either that or each federation pays a little to NZF as part of their entry fee and NZF can arrange filming for each home venue).  I feel this is more important that covered seating as we NEED to attract more people to the game and getting it on TV is the only way to do this.

Make the franchise clubs work directly with the federations - ie NFF - Waitakere United, AFF - Auckland City etc etc - the federations have heaps of resources and contacts that can help promote ASBP to the public - at the moment it seems like AFF and Auckland City for example  pretty much operate at arms length from each other.

and the number one thing that needs to happen for this to work - PLAYER PAYMENTS IN NRFL OR ANY CLUB BASED LEAGUE NEED TO BE BANNED AND ENFORCED...  too many good players don't bother with ASBP because they want to be able to cash in on winter football and the insane amounts some teams pay - $6k for a player to move from a premier league team to a div 2 team in the NRFL is the latest one i have heard.

i'm sure i also will have my ideas scrutinized but i am happy to discuss.

Almost impossible to enforce.

not really - NZF just need the balls to take on some big clubs!

Step 1 - write the regulation

Step 2 - assume all the clubs are outside the regulation

Step 3 - tell the clubs that they need to prove to NZF they are within the regulation.

Step 4 - boot clubs from NRFL or other appropriate comps if they refuse or fail step 3.

Step 5 - deal with the fallout.... lol.