OFC A-League team (tell him he's dreaming)
Normo's coming home
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News Discussion and Football Blogging
OFC A-League team (tell him he's dreaming)
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More from Tai Nicholas here on the Oceania A-League team, including the possibility that it could play out of Auckland
(a) I'm not sure how this one off match tests the viability of the side, especially when it has the draw of Beckham plus the Oceania side
(b) Should a confederation really run a football club? And wouldn't there be an inherent conflict of interest? Would they be allowed to play in the OFC etc etc? More importantly, who would make that decision? Seems quite an extraordinary proposal when you think about it, especially to organise a team to play in another confederation's competition!!
(c) Isn't this a very over the top response to the fundamental problem that pacific players can't play in the A-League? Firdtly, are there enough good players to play there? Secondly, why not just lobby the FFA to change the Visa rules rather than attempt to enter a new team?
(d) Let's be honest, they've got no chance of this happening do they? They'll never get the money together, and I'm not sure that a team with half pacific islanders and half kiwis would be competitive, especially based out of Fiji, as no-one would play for them.
This whole thing is quite bizarre
Normo's coming home
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More from Tai Nicholas here on the Oceania A-League team, including the possibility that it could play out of Auckland
(a) I'm not sure how this one off match tests the viability of the side, especially when it has the draw of Beckham plus the Oceania side
(b) Should a confederation really run a football club? And wouldn't there be an inherent conflict of interest? Would they be allowed to play in the OFC etc etc? More importantly, who would make that decision? Seems quite an extraordinary proposal when you think about it, especially to organise a team to play in another confederation's competition!!
(c) Isn't this a very over the top response to the fundamental problem that pacific players can't play in the A-League? Firdtly, are there enough good players to play there? Secondly, why not just lobby the FFA to change the Visa rules rather than attempt to enter a new team?
(d) Let's be honest, they've got no chance of this happening do they? They'll never get the money together, and I'm not sure that a team with half pacific islanders and half kiwis would be competitive, especially based out of Fiji, as no-one would play for them.
This whole thing is quite bizarre
Just trying to sell $80 tickets. Don't think it will work. But hey who knows.
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This would be great for developing Island players. Unfortunately I doubt they could afford to throw $6mil a year into a team which would probably generate very little income outside of TV revenue.
The FFA may find the prospect attractive for the same reason they find having a New Zealand team attractive, because it would expand the TV audience by 11 million people (actually only 7 million, as New Zealand TV already shows A League games). But do they really want a team with no real home base, which will probably struggle to be competitive initially.
If the Oceania federation wants a pathway for players into the A League they should be trying to do it through the Phoenix. Convince the FFA to allow the Phoenix unlimited spots for Oceania players, give the Phoenix a pathway to the CWC IN OCEANIA, set up an academy in Australia, and most importantly, fund a team to play in the youth league under the Phoenix banner that includes promising Oceania players.
The FFA may find the prospect attractive for the same reason they find having a New Zealand team attractive, because it would expand the TV audience by 11 million people (actually only 7 million, as New Zealand TV already shows A League games). But do they really want a team with no real home base, which will probably struggle to be competitive initially.
If the Oceania federation wants a pathway for players into the A League they should be trying to do it through the Phoenix. Convince the FFA to allow the Phoenix unlimited spots for Oceania players, give the Phoenix a pathway to the CWC IN OCEANIA, set up an academy in Australia, and most importantly, fund a team to play in the youth league under the Phoenix banner that includes promising Oceania players.
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This would be great for developing Island players. Unfortunately I doubt they could afford to throw $6mil a year into a team which would probably generate very little income outside of TV revenue.
The FFA may find the prospect attractive for the same reason they find having a New Zealand team attractive, because it would expand the TV audience by 11 million people (actually only 7 million, as New Zealand TV already shows A League games). But do they really want a team with no real home base, which will probably struggle to be competitive initially.
If the Oceania federation wants a pathway for players into the A League they should be trying to do it through the Phoenix. Convince the FFA to allow the Phoenix unlimited spots for Oceania players, give the Phoenix a pathway to the CWC IN OCEANIA, set up an academy in Australia, and most importantly, fund a team to play in the youth league under the Phoenix banner that includes promising Oceania players.
The FFA may find the prospect attractive for the same reason they find having a New Zealand team attractive, because it would expand the TV audience by 11 million people (actually only 7 million, as New Zealand TV already shows A League games). But do they really want a team with no real home base, which will probably struggle to be competitive initially.
If the Oceania federation wants a pathway for players into the A League they should be trying to do it through the Phoenix. Convince the FFA to allow the Phoenix unlimited spots for Oceania players, give the Phoenix a pathway to the CWC IN OCEANIA, set up an academy in Australia, and most importantly, fund a team to play in the youth league under the Phoenix banner that includes promising Oceania players.
Note: I don't think this is the best thing for the Phoenix (although a youth team which includes Island players could be worthwhile), but it is definitely something that the Oceania confederation should consider before they try to set up their own full A League team.
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Article in weekend about the Oceania All Stars v Galaxy game being a test run for an Oceania side in the A League.
Before you all start scoffing, consider this. At the Waitakere v Ba, Oceania Cup final of two season ago, there was a crowd in excess of 10,000. Now considering that Waitake only has 13 fans, that means 9,987 of them were Fijians, as indeed were all the spectators around me.
If this isn't an untapped fan base, I don't know what is. If you then throw in the 5-6,000 Kingz/Knights fans - remember it is an Oceania team, and NZ is Oceania - and there is real potential for a side. Base the side in Auckland and play the games at Mt Smart where I think the Oceania Football Federation is still based ( and most of the Oceania folk live south of the bridge) and also play some games in the Islands (where they would attract massive crowds).
Get Wynton and Christian Karembeau involved in training/ambassadorial roles, and get Blatter to throw some development money at the project in return for a few votes a la Charlie Dempsey, and Bob's your uncle.
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You're starting to sound like Midfielder
Allegedly
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Won't work, sure it will have the novelty factor for a while but when the issues of players getting to training, cost of travel and the realisation that the Oceania confed has no money to support the team it will eventually fail, which will only drag NZ and Oceania football further into the sh*te.
Queenslander 3x a year.
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The Oceania team can have special considerations from FIFA and FFA as an invited international club to the A-league.
Very progressive idea as none of the OFC countries have suitable fully fetched professional league and decent professional player pathway for all the players.
It will just follows the same special considerations of the NZ franchises being included in A-league.
FFA cannot change the import player rule for their Australian A-league franchises but will just use the special consideration system as they have with the Wellington Phoenix. It's better and easier.
. . . If this takes off, why do I have a funny feeling that Wynton Rufer will be named as coach? Not that I have a problem with that, just that he has the personality to take this on.
Very progressive idea as none of the OFC countries have suitable fully fetched professional league and decent professional player pathway for all the players.
It will just follows the same special considerations of the NZ franchises being included in A-league.
FFA cannot change the import player rule for their Australian A-league franchises but will just use the special consideration system as they have with the Wellington Phoenix. It's better and easier.
. . . If this takes off, why do I have a funny feeling that Wynton Rufer will be named as coach? Not that I have a problem with that, just that he has the personality to take this on.
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