National League review and future

While not a good response from the club, to be fair to them Enzo did say they shouldn't be in the league because they don't bring any colour like the other teams he suggested, only the bigger wallet. That would likely piss you off if that was your team.

He didn't just say 'they shouldn't be in the league', he said it was a missed opportunity and rightly points out one of the reasons they made it in because they had the $ - while also suggesting clubs be made to work a bit harder on growing their support base.

Missed opportunity/Shouldn't be in the league is really the same thing when he is implying they were only let in because they had the biggest cheque book. There is a reason for that in the league and that is because think how many currently clubs are financially struggling, its not perfect of course because this could be solved by some of his suggestions with growing crowds etc, but that isn't their fault that NZF choose them and used that as the main reason for teams to join on its expansion.

All I'm saying is I can see why they got their back up and gave that reply after his article, at least to me and probably to them as it seem like it was saying they shouldn't be in the league because they were the wrong choice. I do agree that the league and clubs can do more to make it a better experience and they could have replied better but some of the twitter accounts of clubs are pretty bad with their reply and comments. Known others to make stupid comments too.

I didn't see it as him having a go at Eastern Suburbs, more NZF for not making what he thought would have been a better choice with Auckland United. Think Eastern Suburbs reply is quite telling though.

Maybe if he'd made some comment about Eastern Suburbs importing a team this season..........

Nobody would ever be that crass. Surely.

at least he knows someone reads his articles

OUCH! LOL

For the record my view is they were the wrong choice at the time but they are in it now and my blog post is no real threat to them so they should lighten up a bit. From a PR perspective the correct response would have been to point out all the things they are doing to engage fans - and to be fair they are trying. Saying that only the players matter to them only proved my point.

I actually agree with Eastern. The idea of a viable national league based on bums on seats funding clubs in NZ is pure fantasy. It has to be about something else - yoof / development etc etc.

Sure I've said this a few times.

I certainly think if we could all get on the same page about what the men's national league is actually for then that would be a pretty good start.

Certainly agree with the need to do that, enzo.

Some clubs want it to be a trough of pokies money, and overseas working holidays for English lower league players. I'd rather we spend the money on the kids who are most likely to be overseas playing their trade in years to come.

But at least it's a team of mostly young promising Kiwis, with exciting futures. Not 70% overseas hacks.

The problem is that it's for multiple purposes, some of which contradict each other. To wit:

- pit the top players in the country against each other;

- offer a development pathway to pro football for domestic youth;

- act as a shop window for NZ football to spectators.

Any others?

Which one of those is the priority should influence things like what kind of surfaces are insisted on, should we be playing in stadia or small grounds, summer or winter, clubs or franchises, what coaching badges are needed, who are we promoting the game to, should we ban imports, and do we even need a national league?

And the other one is farming club world cup money.

Aye, thats basically why we have a summer National League - means our teams are prepped to grab that CWC $ and also win the OFC Champions League. That's it. That's the only reason now.

Which could potentially dry up somewhat, if is recommended to FIFA that CWC move to a 4 yearly cycle?

FIFA meeting mid this month.

that was one part of a tweet that I feel some have taken out of context - the context is the first part of the tweet about measurement of success in relation to First Class cricket.

The sentiment of the tweet is the bit where it says the best want to play the best that's why they are playing in the national league.  All games in leagues where there is development involved are player centric - that dosn't mean they don't want fans, just that if there are no fans the league dosn't cease to have relevance.

Conversely if there were more fans would it be better - of course but it's not the be all and end all at this level.

What I'm rambling on about is I don't think they have said "Only the Players Matter" I think they are saying the players are in the game for their own reasons (which at Suburbs is about development I guess) and that wouldn't change if there were no fans.

this.

Meeting was a NZF flop - from a fly on the wall.

Haves v Have Not's.  On we go

Word on the street is Onehunga Sports are getting together a National League bid

Would make for a much better derby than Waitakere. SH20 Derby?

"Battle of the (Other) Bridge" with Manukau Utd?

*If* there is another AFF team then it needs to be south auckland based - If NFF want to replace Waitakere with another NFF side then that's probably the best option at the moment.

Do the criteria for National League decisions actually involve representation by federation, or do the decision makers just consider "Auckland" as a unit and one club is just as good as another?

But replacing WU with a North Shore club would only be sensible.

no the federations have no say - I was just using NFF and AFF to represent areas of Auckland.

Now that there's no yearly opportunity to grab FIFA CWC money does that mean the National League will be run on tighter budgets by NZF?

Not too sure what they'd axe as its run on shoestring but I'm picking Sky coverage would be the first to go.

I suppose having that import rule also helps so clubs won't be tempted to splurge on foreigners to be competitive.

As the commentator said on the Auckland City - Magenta broadcast, "bringing the curtain down on NZ Club football." Well at least bringing the curtain down on the National League. Time to scrap the non-sustainable, franchise based, summer schedule national league and bring back the financially secure Club-Based winter national league. Everyone can see it, about time it happens! 

Another nail in the coffin for the national league. 

that'd be the financially secure club based league that 50% of clubs that competed in it no longer exist (through either extinction or mergers)?

Here's hoping.

I bloody love our national league!  Gives me a team to support over the summer and I get to see the best players (ish) in the country. 

I ain't supporting a rival team in a national club league competition.

Would you love paying even more subs $ for it?

I kinda like our National League too, has a nice length to the season and means some players get to play more football (winter + summer). 

I just wish there was a platform for promotion/relegation and that the teams could compete in the Chatham Cup.

I'm not willing to give up on our national league until we have opened it up to those who can afford to be in it

i.e. a 10-12 team league made up of the best 10-12 teams in NZ based on merit

Initial first dibs go the the current franchises. Those that can't afford it don't have to be in it. Those that can can take their place/s can come in

LOL!

If there's anything I've learned in my life, it's that people who use sentences of the form "scrap the [...] and bring back the [...]" are suffering from a debilitating and catching disease called nostalgia. A soufflé doesn't rise twice, even if the old National League were as high-quality, sustainable and popular as some of the old-timers around here seem to think (why did they abolish it in the first place?)

the best 10 in the country on merit - but current can opt in first? say what?

NZ has not had a viable National league since the Winfield Company was ban due to it being funded by BRAT. IIRCC 

It would be a gradual thing :-)