AFC Announcement on future of Phoenix

I'd support Melbourne but it wouldn't be the sam. I don't feel sick when Melbourne lose like I do with Welly - don't really get nervous about games etc. valeo2009-12-18 21:39:17

I  will seek clarification from FFA and sort this out. There are still quite a few questions need answering which I will work towards. FFA are 100% behind us but we just need to work through the whole process. The best way we can show FFA and AFC is to continue to get behind the club and come to the next home game in thousands. This will take time to sort out which Terry and I will do but we owe to the fans and members and to Terry.

I Tony

Thanks Tony.  Love following a club where the CEO cares and communicates with the supporters!

Loving Slater and Hill.

Thank you Tony P. It is great being a supporter of a club who keeps in touch with fans!

Tony P is the man !

We all love Tony P.

Pignata for Mayor.Stefan2009-12-18 23:00:45

And what happens when they don't? they have to come back to Oceania? I don't think so. There is nothing stopping Aussie from dropping us from the A League.

Cheers Tony definitely appreciate it!!! 

No Phoenix, No A-League.

2nd best fans in the league!

Next to the Cove.
FTT

Thanks Tony P, great to hear from you.

And credit the commentators as well.  Especially Slater.

Later on when Hill said "you're pathetic, you know that" I lol'd hard.

It is a fairly comment tactic in politics to take an extreme position so that you have something to compromise from. I am not too worried.

Without a doubt, regardless of anything else, Wellington Phoenix the most professional, and best run club in the A-League

It looks like if the AFC stand strong the FFA have this route to go through; AFC Appeals committee, then the FIFA Appeals committee and finally the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Another thing, if MBH has half a brain he'll know that being responsible for killing professional football in Oceania isn't going to look good on his CV if he seriously wants to run for FIFA president one day. For this reason I also can't believe that his stance is anything more than horse trading, which he will find a face saving compromise from when it suits.

And +1 on the comments re: the Nix being the best run club, great that Tony P posts on here.

Good column here from Mike Cockerill in the SMH...

I like the Danny Hay column given on the YF homepage - we've got a few of years to lobby to become part of Asia  Junior822009-12-20 09:15:46

what about for next home game,

We love you Tony P, we do
we love you Terry s, we do
ohh WELLINGTON we love you

AFC dont own football, they should be happy wellington is in the A-league!! promoting Football in this country the best way we know how!  FIFA should be supporting nics more!! I thought FIFA was trying to grow the game in countries were it isnt popular. Isnt that why they are giving money to promote the sport.

darkhorse2009-12-20 09:54:05

What is the possibility of splitting Asia into a east/west divisions and merging oceania into the eastern conference?

Would this work/fail/be epic?

Naz - there is still the problem that the island nations have no money to send teams to Japan etc.  Case in point - When Vanuatu was here last year (?) they had to stay in backpackers.

After spending many months....mm..maybe longer,vouyeristically trolling various threads feel compelled to post in response to this threat.

Great to read such a clear well though out and informative article as Cockerill's.

Yes.  That must be it.  Because, as we all know, the AFC was crazy about WPFC before the All Whites win over Bahrain.  I believe Bin Hamman said back in March, "If Wellington Phoenix qualify for the next Asian Champions League, we'll just give them the title without them having to play any games, I love them so much!"

It's a pity that such a beautiful relationship was broken up by the World Cup Qualifying, isn't it?

'Twas Australia's parting 'gift' to Oceania...we knocked off Uruguay...then they changed the paths! 14 game World Cup campaign here though was good. Take it any day over the 2-legged play-off.
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Melbourne fans may argue differently...
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Also a cheeky way of saying 'WPFC need a good cash injection' Tony.

But credit to the CEO of a club talking to its fans. As previously said on here, Melbourne cut this out in early 2007.
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Melbourne fans are usually too busy fighting amongst themselves to be called a 'supporters club'

I've been offline this weekend so just catching up with this. Still not quite sure what to make of it all but some random thoughts already are...

1. The concept of the Phoenix essentially becoming an Australian club with Kiwis treated as "imports" is just a no-go. It will not work. If only 20-30% of the Phoenix' current fan base were to lose interest in following an Australian team based in Wellington the club would surely cease to be even close to viable (even with Terry's deep pockets).

2. The same logic applies to the Phoenix being in Div. 2 of the A-League.

3. A lot has been made of the FFA's need to keep the AFC sweet in order to make a serious bid for the World Cup but it could be said that the FFA need Oceania just as much. Oceania obviously have a smaller number of votes than Asia but they are still enough votes to swing an election - just look at the situation Charlie Dempsey found himself in a few years back. If Charlie had voted the way he was meant to the 2006 World Cup would have been in South Africa, not Germany.

4. Money will have a lot to do with how this plays out. Some of the big players who haven't yet been mentioned are the likes of Hyundai and Fox Sports/Sky TV. The FFA will be very sensitive to what they think of New Zealand being lost to the A-League. NZ may not be the biggest market in the world but it is still an important one for the A-League.

5. Oceania should have total hard-on for NZ right now. Not only was NZ qualifying for the World Cup a massive coup but Auckland City have probably saved Oceania's representation at the Club World Cup, for a few years at least. It should be clearer than ever that NZ's success is crucial to Oceania's success and that the Phoenix have been a big part of NZ's recent success.

6. The "Phoenix is good for NZ and Oceania" card is probably the strongest one we have to play. If you take the Phoenix out of the picture both NZ and Oceania football will struggle. The recent chat about forming an Oceania team to play in the A-League, however fanciful, is helpful here. It acknowledges that Oceania is the one confederation that simply can't support itself and needs help from the outside. Much as it pains Asia to help Oceania too much they can probably also see the writing on the wall. If Oceania simply can't compete/survive then Oceania will have to be absorbed somewhere else - probably into Asia.

7. Maybe the above point provides a possible compromise that everyone can live with. What if the Nix continued participation in the A-League was totally as a vehicle for sustaining Oceania as a confederation i.e. the Nix formally become the "Oceania A-League team" and treat any Oceania player as "local" and any players from Australia and elsewhere as "imports". Would this work? Are there enough players of a decent standard in NZ and the rest of Oceania to field a competitive team?

terminator_x2009-12-20 22:36:39

The timing on this is incredible!

Just when it looked like things couldn't go any better for NZ Football and the Nix in particular...
Did you guys see on the forums here,
and here   (thanks Diego's Son and Midfielder)

Terry  and WPFC are  probably in line for A$3 million per year to cover the playing roster. from the proposed new Fox TV deal.
It's the start of payoff time, Terry, for keeping the faith...and keeping the Faithful happy too Good Job!!

Re: the above point 7, Terminator X, I prefer the Nix the way it is.
 I think as the FFA expand the League they may try to include an Oceania team as well..lets face it, there's a whole slice of demographic, both roll-up crowds and viewing audiences, that an Oceania team might attract too.


RedGed2009-12-21 11:40:04

You have to feel for the FFA as well. They are in a no win situation. They have to keep on side with the AFC to support their WC hosting bid and not to lose A-league Asian Champ league spots. But there are lots of reasons for them to keep the Phoenix on board. (TV and merchandising rights to NZ, solid well run club etc) But what they do not want to lose is the Oceania Conf support for their WC bid as well.

Crazy solution to the AFC/ FFA dilemma re: "What to do with the Nix?"  #99

As we approach the "silly season" here's something to chew the crackling over...
(probably should be in "What I want for Christmas" thread but its about this really)

Tony, Terry and Frank Van Hattum talk with OFC and suggest following...

OFC talks with AFC and sorts the  "little differences" that affect WPFC and its future participation in the A-League in exchange for....

The OFC lobbying with the AFC to FIFA for an increase of future WC spots from 32 to 36 = 9 pools of 4.
At least 2, if not all four extra spots should be added to the AFC entitlement. (Largest growing Confederation= where the money is for Football.)

Also, in a show of mutual co-operation and generous spirited goodwill in the name of spreading the football gospel to the AFC and OFC as-yet-unconverted masses, the AFC would  agree to allow the winner of the OFC WCQ series to participate in preliminary and final rounds of AFC WCQ's to qualify. ..(if they got all four spots maybe OFC runner-up too..)

and furthermore, extending that goodwill for the forseeable future, the Learned and Enlightened Mr Bin Hammin also engages with the OFC,  recognising its "special relationship" with the AFC, and proposes the AFC will "foster" the OFC confederation and champion the growth of Football through all of Asia AND Oceania.


If only it were so easy.



RedGed2009-12-21 13:10:24

Will Asia support the Australian bid for the WC anyway? My understanding is that Qatar are also seeking to host the same and is the Asian vote likely to go with them?