It's not FFA that's preventing us from entering the competition, it's simply a matter of cost. FFA's not keen to fund the development of youth players from a different association from a different confederation, but if we had the funds to enter our youth team in the competition the FFA would let us play. Think we could hardly blame the FFA for this situation, it's just one of the poblems you face as a team playing in a different country's league.
That's not my recollection of the situation el grapadura. As I understand it, the Phoenix wanted to include a side in the Australian competition and were even prepared to base it in Australia. The FFA wasn't prepared to allow this. The substantial cost of this approach would have been incurred by the Phoenix, and, as well as the Phoenix being allowed to participate in the A-League on the basis of a level playing field, Australian youth players would have benefited since there would have been an additional club in the mix. Even if a second Phoenix side were based in Wellington, each of the Australian clubs would have faced a relatively modestl monetary cost, being the cost of one away trip to Wellington. At the same time, the Phoenix would more than likely have drawn on the larger Australian pool of youth talent, which would have benefited the development of Australian football.