Not sure I buy this rhetoric - how close do people genuinely thinking a Christchurch team is?
I'm sure the APL is enjoying the commercial success of Auckland FC but going to NZ again would still be perceived as a big gamble especially with the financial position APL and many clubs are in.
Why can't Christchurch United join this league and that can be a pathway to prove the city deserves an A-League team? To me that's the best option
I'm sure the APL is enjoying the commercial success of Auckland FC but going to NZ again would still be perceived as a big gamble especially with the financial position APL and many clubs are in.
Why can't Christchurch United join this league and that can be a pathway to prove the city deserves an A-League team? To me that's the best option
I genuinely have no idea how close ChCh/Sth Island is to having a serious go at an A League bid. But then my memory of the APL granting Auckland a licence nearly 2 years ago, was it was all very sudden and surprising. No real leaks or gossip beforehand that it was happening.
A big part of AFC's success has been the buy in, from basically the whole local upper NI football community. No cosy relationship with say Auckland City FC (Ivan Vuksich), getting them offside with other Northern Region clubs and fans. A smart move, and Pragnell plus APL know that.
ChCh United is in a way the south's ACFC. Got the money, resources and wealthy/high profile owner/chairman. Not everyone's favourite club in the Mainland. Maybe NZF thinks it's smart that any future Sth Island A League bid is similarly not too closely aligned to one single local club. You risk alienating some in the local football community, when success really depends on buy in from all.
I could have this (conspiracy) theory all completely wrong, and if CU gets one of the 2 NZ spots in the OFC League on Friday, I basically am wrong.