Saving the A-League

But the MLS didn't fold because of the philanthropy of two football-mad billionaires, Lamar Hunt and Philip Anschutz. Between them, they poured $US100m into the league to keep it afloat. At one stage, they owned seven of the 12 franchises.

This is the 6th season of the league.

This is the 6th season of the league.

But Terry isn't even on the NZ richlist. There was a NZ'er linked to buying Portsmouth not too long ago, maybe he would be interested in buying an A-League team. If an Australian team leaves the league there needs to be another New Zealand side waiting in the wings to try get inclusion.

The biggest issue for the A-League, particularly in Australia is that there is little or no involvement from the respective state federations which is arguably both a good and bad thing (especially given what the old NSL was like).

But Terry isn't even on the NZ richlist. There was a NZ'er linked to buying Portsmouth not too long ago, maybe he would be interested in buying an A-League team. If an Australian team leaves the league there needs to be another New Zealand side waiting in the wings to try get inclusion.

Former A-League boss Archie Fraser has launched a blistering attack on his former paymasters at Football Federation Australia (FFA) for ignoring the welfare of the national competition in favour of indulging its obsession with landing the 2022 World Cup.

Labelling the ruling body as reactive and bloated, Fraser, who quit his post as CEO of the national competition in frustration back in April, claims the A-League has become a basket case flagrantly ignored by FFA which he accuses of failing to promote the domestic game and unwilling to stick up for football's interests.

Fraser, who masterminded the regeneration and rebirth of North Queensland Fury on a consultative basis after quitting College Street, also denounced the short-term aid offered to the cash-strapped Newcastle Jets as unsatisfactory and insisted when he was at the helm he was stymied from making decisions by former boss, FFA CEO Ben Buckley.

Fraser told The World Game, at a time when the A-League has found itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons with the diving debate and the Jets near crash landing, that the A-League is not a high enough priority.

�The only focus right now at the FFA is the World Cup bid and the A-League has been left to become a basket case, he said.


�The A-League is suffering. Hopefully it will still be there in December when FIFA decides whether we do or don't get the World Cup.

�The structure of the league is wrong. It needs more autonomy and to be separated from the FFA and allowed to look after its own affairs.

�There is no promotion of the game and no cohesive strategy. When I was head of the A-League I couldn't make any decisions, and no decisions were ever made until the last minute. Everything went through Ben Buckley.

"The organisation is purely reactive and never stands up for the game. We never take on the other codes and a lot of people within the FFA seem to be happy with that.

�The dire financial straits at Newcastle have been brewing for nine months. The FFA knew all about it. Nobody sat down and talked to them and offered to help until the very last minute. It�s really a disgrace.�

Fraser believes that a spate of departures from the top echelons of FFA tells its own story.

�Questions need to be asked over why (chief commercial officer) John O'Sullivan, (operations manager) Matt Phelan left, and why were (head of corporate and public affairs) Bonita Mersiades and (chief financial officer) Ian Lewis given the heave-ho," he said.


Fraser, who came to football after three years as CEO of St Kilda in the AFL, believes little has changed since his, and the other departures, at FFA, which has a staff of 106.

�The same situation has continued under my successor Lyall Gorman. He won�t be able to do anything, even if he wanted to. The A-League doesn�t need somebody to passively run a long with things the way they are," he continued.

�It needs some grunt in a competitive market at a critical time for the game. Right now the league is paralysed. The FFA has taken its eye off the ball and that's why I quit.

�The other codes must be looking at us and thinking how good is this? They will be saying, �Thank God they haven�t been able to get it right yet. Because when they do we will be in a bit of trouble�.

�My question is why are the directors not doing anything about it? Why is the FFA board sitting back and allowing this to happen?

"Only one director has spoken with me since I resigned. There was no debrief. I sent an email to one director detailing why I went and I was told he had never received it.

�You would think somebody on the board would want to know why I resigned after just over a year.�

Fraser is also convinced that the Sydney Rovers franchise, due to enter the competition in 2011-2012, is unlikely to see the light of day as the hunt for potential investors continues to come up empty.

�I don't think you will see them next season because the backing just isn't there at the moment,� he added. �There were other more deserving causes for an A-League licence.�

Fraser is also stunned at the FFA's handling of the recent high-profile incidents which saw Perth's Glory�s Michael Baird and Central Coast's Patricio Perez found guilty by the match review committee of diving and subsequently banned for two games, without the right of appeal.

�There is no way I would have allowed that to happen,� he said. �Unless there is clear footage which proves the players are guilty of simulation then you can't find them guilty and in the Perez case that was not the case.

�They also have to be able to challenge the ruling. The FFA should just change the rule overnight.�

He is also critical of the this season's fixture scheduling, using the example of the Melbourne Heart playing Fury at home last Saturday when the Western Bulldogs played Collingwood in the AFL.

�They only got 4,000 odd and the game should never have been played. The draw is nothing like the one that was under consideration back in April.�

I'd love to know if NZF have contingency plans for the A-League going under. Suddenly decide that the ASB Premiership will now be semi-pro? Paul Ifill turning out for YoungHeart Manawatu?

In Tim Browns case, Janelle is only 17 and therefore unlikely to be a housewife.

 

To cut costs for travelling teams.

I know A League clubs dont exactly have the level of player depth that European clubs have but is this why the A League only has 4 man benches? I've always found it quite silly. They should have full size benches, that way if teams find themselves three nil up or whatever, they can put some of their younger players on like Rojas, Musa etc. Anyone know why the A League has 4 man benches?

FIFA Rules. You are only allowed to substitute 3 players during a game. The fourth bench warmer is usually a Keeper and can only be used if 2 of the other 3 bench warmers have been used.

To be serious for a moment: could a "budget A-League" be formed from, say, the premiers of the various State leagues plus the ASB Premiers? Richmond SC vs Waitakere United, anyone?

Article in SMH this morning with comments from Lowe saying that the A league will survive, and if he says it will, it will.

mmm, not sure about this. Goodnight!

The size of the bench has nothing to do with FIFA rules, it varies in different leagues and competitions around the world.

Lower than the A Lge?