Uncertain soccer future
LOCAL soccer chief Damien Bresic is not sure what will happen if the Gold Coast Knights win an NPL Queensland licence for next year.
Bresic, Football Gold Coast general manager, does not have only the issue of a Knights NPLQ licence to be resolved, he also has to work around the Merrimac Soccer Club withdrawing from the 2018 Coast League 1 competit- ion. Only a few months ago, FGC completed a competition restructure which included increasing the Premier League from eight to 10 clubs and having an eight-club Coast League 1 underpinning it.
Suddenly it could be a situation of nine in PL and seven in CL1 because Merrimac are gone for a year and the Knights will not field teams in Coast competitions if they get into the NPLQ.
“Yes, there is a bit of uncertainty about next season,” Bresic said as he waits on the state league decision.
“If the Knights get their licence we’ll lose our reigning champions and take a team out of Premier League.
“Then we’ll have seven teams in Coast League 1 with Merrimac gone.”
Bresic said it is not his option to run with byes at both levels but that remains a distinct possibility.
Yet the second-tier situation could be helped if FGC elects to allow clubs with large playing numbers to play teams in both first and second levels.
The situation has been forced by Merrimac being kicked off their Tony Cecco Field headquarters.
Official James Phelan said the Italo Australia Club, who own the land, have not renewed the football operation’s lease and have applied to the council to build a retirement village at the venue.
“So rather than muck everyone around and perhaps lose the ground midway through next season we’ve decided not to field teams next year,” Phelan said.
“We’ll remain affiliated with Football Gold Coast but we’re not fielding teams until this issue is resolved.”
Phelan said the club has no desire to play matches at other grounds despite offers from a number of clubs to help out.
“This has been Merrimac’s home for 40 years and it’d be hard to move it. At least now we have at least 12 months to look at all options.”