Tasmania United Fc Forum |
||
|---|---|---|
| DISCUSSIONS > It could be a long wait for TUFC | ||
| tufc | Date posted | Replies |
|
Just saw an article on au.FourFourTwo.com which reported on an interview with Lyall Gorman (new head of the A-League). Pertinent part of the interview for us: Speaking of expansion clubs, what's your view on the number of A-League clubs? Do we need even more than, say, 12? Well, this is a personal view and not from a board level, so putting it into that context my view today is that we have a real opportunity to bed down a 12-team competition and work hard over the next few years to get that right and strong. Then we can look at the model again. I think in Australia there's a reasonable three-year plan so if we had 12 strong, viable clubs in a national competition and hopefully even increase our representation in the Asian Champions League I think we'd have a wonderful model to look to grow. But on a personal basis, I think we should sit there for a while and get this model right and think strategically and bed down what we've got and get that right and strong before we start to move forward again. (The full article can be seen here) I'm guessing the A-League administrators have been burnt by the recent spate of financial/ownership problems experienced by a number of clubs, and that they'll be very reluctant to expand any further until the existing clubs are all on a firmer footing. I imagine Tassie will be seen as a risky proposition (much like Townsville). The business case currently being developed for TUFC is going to have to be EXTREMELY strong for us to have any chance at all in the forseeable future. I wouldn't bet on any new expansion (after Sydney Rovers) until at least 2013/14. Add comments |
7th June 2010 | 6 |
| Comment | ||
Foxhawkposted at 4:13AM on 6th Jun, 2010 The CEO sets the vision. I doubt that the A-League will look at expansion for at least 3 years, probably four after the introduction of West Sydney. However; The FFA will no doubt continue to work alongside interested parties with the development of their business plans and will also promote the growth of the sport in regions where it needs to grow. If during this time a wealthy sponsor came forward to back a business plan then it is plausable that the A-League would change their plans - SO LONG AS THE CHANGE DID NOT FINANCIALLY HINDER THE OTHER CLUBS AND THE LEAGUE. So potentially a wealthy owner may not guarantee us entry. However there are other possibilities. A group of Eastern Premier League clubs with A-League ambitions and some consortiums may at some stage get together and develop their own Eastern Australian competition independant of the A-League (Run in Summer after their statewide premiership leagues are over) in order to promote their ambitions. In turn this could lead to some or all joining the A-League, or even possibly the eventual emergence of a second tier within the national structure. We need to press ahead.
Foxhawkposted at 4:13AM on 6th Jun, 2010 I have a feeling that in order to get a bid into the A-League we will need a statewide premiership independant of the northern and southern leagues (with promotion/relegation) with significant media investment locally including a match televised each week on either a Tasmanian network. Also - I think the northern half of the state needs to up their game (and I am from the north). ntguyposted at 9:11AM on 6th Jun, 2010 There are moves already afoot to set up a league comprising some of the State League teams but this may not see the light of day as the FFA's rules in effect give it the sole right of running competitions that cross State Association borders. The new FIFA and AFC Club Registration Regulations allow the handing over of this role to a subordinate body but only with FFA and AFC Executive Committee approval.
The other issue that may impinge on A-League expansion is that the AFC require a season of 34 home and away games in the top league if we want to qualify teams for the ACL in 2013. Although it would take quite a while to get there the best way to do this is to have an 18 team competition. ntguyposted at 9:15AM on 6th Jun, 2010 Change that to "Club Licensing Regulations".
Details of requirements for ACL participation are given on the link below.
http://www.the-afc.com/uploads/Documents/regulation/clubcriteria.pdf galacticaposted at 12:37PM on 7th Jun, 2010 As you say the CEO sets the vision and with the TUFC our vision is A League and rightly so. Obviously all other options such as a northern and/or southern club into the Vic Premier League, a Tassie State Premier League (probably 4 northern & 6 southern sides), and a regular component of season games for a state youth side are some of these options. Perhaps the composition of all these may well be an initial outcome to undertake over a four year progression to precede an A League license application acceptance. It does seem that current ideas on a national league side from Tassie may be a bit thin on quality numbers for continuity of major sponsorships generation. This does not preclude a "white knight" buyer who takes ownership for say up to 5yrs or so before selling off their interest and therefore such maneuvers could be the generating influence (e.g. Perth, etc). |
||
| Who's online |
|---|
| Our users have posted a total of 1745 posts We have 521 registered users The newest registered user is Liverpoo |
Chuq
posted at 12:03PM on 4th Jun, 2010
Disappointing, but I think that sort of timeframe is about the minimum we realistically expected. GCU and NQF in 2009/10, MH this year and Sydney Rovers in 2011/12, that is three years of expansion and not all of it has been rosy. I guess they only need to have 1 year "off" to allow everything to setting and the next earliest date becomes 2013/14.
The important thing is to have the business case and everything ready to go - so when the time comes we can move quickly!
There may be an exception if a club folds and they want another to fill the gap, but they would likely go for something in the same geographical area.
Lyall Gorman is formerly from the Central Coast Mariners, the best run regional club, so you would hope that we understand the benefits on how to operate a successful A-League club in a regional area - such as in Tassie.
» Reply to this comment