Set back for expansion
A-League aims to shore up competition before inviting bids
GEELONG’S A-League bid may have to wait until 2018 to learn of FFA’s final criteria for entering the competition.
A-League chief Greg O’Rourke said yesterday the sport’s governing body was prioritising talks on the league’s operating model with current clubs.
FFA’s latest meeting with representatives of the 10 ALeague clubs will be held in Sydney today.
But in a frustrating slice of news for aspirant clubs and bids, the time frame for those talks has lengthened.
“It’s going to take another six months working towards this (operating model). We’re not at a decision-making stage,” O’Rourke said.
“Depending on how that travels and how we navigate that, we’ll then determine exactly when expansion is announced and the criteria.”
The Geelong Advertiser understands the delay will not have an impact on the region’s bid, with the consortium ready to go with its submission when the criteria is released.
Geelong’s bid, under the working title Victoria Patriots, announced in January that it was keen to pursue a spot in the expanded A-League.
The Patriots, headed by spokesman and former Socceroo Steve Horvat, aimed to follow a similar model to powerhouse Western Sydney Wanderers and be a club for Victoria’s west.
Architecture firm Populous has drawn up plans for a boutique 15-20,000 seat stadium and sports precinct based at Armstrong Creek.
It is one of a number of locations being investigated.
The Patriots are also led by an advisory board featuring Jo Plummer, international venue operator Paul Sergeant and business man Maurice Bisetto.
However, Geelong’s push for an A-League team faces stiff competition with a number of state league clubs — headlined by South Melbourne — and consortiums putting their hand up to join an expanded competition.
They have been waiting for formal application criteria for months.
Concurrently, a new conglomeration of state-level clubs — the Association of Australian Football Clubs — has formed, aiming to pressure FFA to add a second-tier national competition.
Despite the pressure from below, FFA believes negotiating with current club owners must come first.
A-League club owners — also fighting with head office over control of the sport in a debate that involves world governing body FIFA — are eager to secure a return from their investment in clubs.
O’Rourke recognised there may be frustration from those wishing to become the ALeague’s 11th and 12th sides, but they would just have to wait.
“We understand there’s an ambition for quite a number of clubs and also some other par- ties that aren’t represented,” he said.
“But what is really important is we set up the A-League for the future to attract the right (club) ownership and the right (league) ownership model.
“Once it is announced, there will be a lot of interest I’m sure.”
The earliest and most likely entry date for two new clubs is the 2019-20 season.
David Gallop’s edict the competition needs to “fish where the fishes are” has been widely read to mean that bids from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne will have priority.