World Club Champs (plus Phoenix to O-League)

what's this rubbish about being arrogant and desperate? they are just being sensible and looking for opportunities that are in their interests, and by the way, in New Zealand football's interests as well.

avid2007-12-10 10:42:04

As if Australians were crazy.

el grapadura2007-12-10 12:43:29

hasnt this been covered before
if the nix win A leauge we cant play in the Asian champion leauge
so makes perfect sense to me, dont know about playing off with NZFC winner though as both should be in rather than two NZFC teams ( maybe play off with 2nd placed as that would get them a decent crowd) 

avid2007-12-10 13:41:23

Though....now I've gone away and had a lie down, don't some Central American teams get invited to South American competitons? Maybe not at club level, though....

Pretty sure that Mexican teams at times participate in the Copa Libertadores...remember Cruz Azul going pretty far in the comp a couple of years back.
Don't think they're allowed to represent South America if they win it though (i.e. if a Mexican team won the comp, the South American representative at the World Club Championhip would be the runner-up).

Dear oh dear....so it could be possible sometime in the future to have a competiton with a Japanese team (as hosts), the Asian runners-up (to the same Japanese team), an Oceania team that played one game to get there (ahem...), a European team that finished 4th in its league, a South American team that lost its final (to a Mexican team), a different Mexican team that won its final.....

As the Nix are not able to play in the ACL, for whatever reasons, then there is no reason as to why they cannot negotiate to enter the O-League.  It is good for clubs in the O-League to have a benchmark side.  Remember, the O-League isn't just about NZ, it is also about clubs like Ba and Marist.  If the World Club championships are viewed as a chance to make some quick bucks for a given club and not about being able to perform then the O-League sides will no longer be invited. 

The Nix should be viewed as NZ's premier club which has no option but to play in the A-League.  I'm sure all Nix supporters would love to have an NZ comp at the same standard which the Nix could compete in, however at this stage that is not the case.  Just look at the calls from Nix supporters for an Auckland bid to get up again and provide a local derby.

We're kinda stuck in limbo between Oceania and Asia. Annoying as hell.

I think its a great idea. So there is 2 spots in the O-League of  NZFC teams, I guess the 2 teams would play-off with the Nixs,  The top 2 teams go through.

We really are.

And that's my Aussie side speaking, not my obviously biased Kiwi side

Easy solution - ditch Oceania, join Asia, then hopefully the FFA will let us participate in the AFC

What I'd like to see is if the Phoenix have to play an NZFC team to get their O-League spot, that the playoff match between these two be played in the NZFC city. The 'nix could be a bigger drawcard for these teams and may attract new fans to the NZFC - say if a Phoenix fan in Auckland didn't give a bollocks about the NZFC, but would go to see ACFC play the Phoenix and hopefully leave a bit more likely to see regular NZFC matches in the future. It wouldn't be an issue for Team Wellington though haha.

And it gives me an excuse to make a road trip!

The only problem I can see with the Phoenix being able to participate in the World Club Championships is what if we finished 6th in the A-league? The teams above us would whinge and cry about not having the same opportunity, and as a result those in power could 'clamp down' on the Phoenix, and not only take away our spot at the World Club Championships, but maybe hurt the club in other ways.

The solution would be the Phoenix can only play off against the top NZFC team if they finish 3rd or higher in the a-league.loyalgunner2007-12-10 15:43:38

If Nix were to qualify for the World Club Championship, i think this would be bad for NZ Football in general.

Hopefully the Phoenix would have instituted a profit sharing plan with Football NZ and the NZFC as part of the agreement to let them enter O-League qualifying. Personally, that's the onlt way I'd want to see it done, especially since NZ Football needs the money, thank you Winston

We should just play in the O-League.

I don't think the disparity between us and the amateur clubs will be that big. We'd basically have a midweek side.

Plus we would also have issues with the A-League fixtures clashing with -League fixtures and off-course there is O-League fixtures.

You mean Phoenix should play in the the A-League and the O-League?
That doesn't seem likely ...

for me the high point in all this came from the following quote from Graeme Seatter in today's Dom

"The door is not open, but it's not closed" 




still






aha ... ...I suppose he might be talking about a revolving door??? Or would that just be another case of media spin?

Forgive me if I miscommunited - I meant that the Phoenix play and NZFC team to for the right to represent NZ in the O-League, not that they get into the club championships by facing the O-League champion. So if it were last year and Port Vila Sharks hadn't withdrawn, instead of the pool of Auckland, Port Vila and AS Mont-Dore, Auckland would play the Phoenix first to see which of the two teams represent NZ

Because they're not teams in Oceania, so they should get over it NZ has an arguably easier route to South Africa in 2010 than many UEFA members, for instance.

The problem is the there is doubt as to whether the Phoenix are an Oceanian team playing in an Asian competition, or an Asian team playing in an Oceanian nation - and thus which competition would they best be suited for competition in. I personally don't mind, I just want more Phoenix matches to watch haha

FIFA can do what ever they want to and that means give the Nix a dispensation to play in the A League and play qualification/participate in the O League. We got a special dispensation to play in the A League in the 1st place.

What happens if the Phoenix go to Japan as O-League champions and lose their game 0-4?

Has it been the clubs proposal ?  It always seems to me to be something the media fall back on at this time of year with very few quotes from any meaningful sources.

I might be wrong but that is a little what it feels like.  Seatter seems to be saying No, but yes and the Phoenix are (rightly) saying it's a chance to raise the profile and some $$ so yeah.  Neither outfit seems to be out there saying it should happen, just answering questions.
Hard News2007-12-10 21:59:47

easy solution, have WPFC play this years NZFC champs, if the phoenix dominate send them through, if its too close leave it as is

I'd be very surprised if all the franchises were supportive of this. I've had a few emails today from a couple of people closely involved in franchise boards expressing "concern" and not exactly sure of what Graeme Seatter is proposing, or in fact where his focus really is. The franchises won't be willing to throw away the money aspect of it. If they are, then there is little chance of the NZFC becoming a good little competition in the future. It will just remain hand-to-mouth reliant on charitable trust monies and eventually that will dry up. The current situation means all franchises are nearly covering their entry fee with World Club Championship prizemoney...and I think this years entry fee was $65k plus GST.

...but even then, by the time you have an NZFC champ the Phoenix are two months beyond the end of the season and out of training.  Then the other end the NZFC squads aren't even assembled by the time the Phoenix start playing.

What 'Kiwi Canary' said. avid2007-12-10 22:29:40

Kiwi C - you're concerns re impact on the NZFC franchises are legitimate and the fate of the $ would have to be resolved.

I would rather see the Phoenix string together some good back to back seasons together in the 'A' league before anything like this takes place. To remove this opportunity from the players who play in the NZFC is not the way for the game to move forward here in NZ.Just when you think Football is at last moving forward in the same direction along comes someone with another crap idea.All it would do is alienate a lot of the support that has come the Phoenixs way.Lets see the the Phoenix prove themselves in the league they play in. 

Sure they do. There is no question that there is talent in the Phoenix. I't would be quite something to see the NZFC sides playing them pre-season or anytime that suits, as it would give the NZFC players a proper opportunity to gauge just where they are personally in playing terms. We do have a lot of NZFC players who think they are the genuine article but will get found out at a higher level yet again. The only way to get better results is if we develop better players and that also means educating them in a professional way. I'm of the new school that believes we should focus on pushing the technical and skills side of it rather than the do it for queen and country, blood and guts style that turns me off the game.

Never know might not need an away trip just put it on Yellow Fevers Xmas wish list to Terry.