A-Leagues & Football Australia General Chat and News Thread

[Andonis1997]

2 of the 11 Hyundai A-League teams were unhappy with the fixtures that was supposed to be announced today, so the fixtures announcement has been postponed for another week or two.

Apparently Jets were one of them. Had multiple away games to start the season and all their home kick-off times would have been Saturday 5:30pm..

 

[nobbyiscool]

Trent Sainsbury free to leave PSV

Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury is facing an uncertain future at PSV with coach Mark van Bommel declaring he may leave the club.

I know this has been posted in the Aussies Abroad thread, but I wanted to raise it in the context of the A-League.

"Why?" I hear you ask. "There's no A-League team that's going to pay a centre-back marquee wages."

And that's exactly the point.

Here's a guy who is a walk up start for the Socceroos. In fact, alongside Mat Ryan he's probably the guy who is the safest in his position in the Socceroo team. And yet the way the A-League is structured with a salary cap and 2 marquees means that no one will consider trying to bring him back, because the successful A-League teams are the one's who can find quality marquee players in the front half of the field.

Which I reckon is an indictment on the A-League.

I wonder if we can re-jig something that happens in the MLS to suit our own purposes - the league should be looking at guys of the calibre of Sainsbury. There isn't many of them, but Juric and Jedinak are probably 2 more examples who are currently free agents.

We should have a system where the league itself tries to lure those players. If you can get them for a price that meets your cost/benefit analysis for a well-known Socceroo who will clearly increase the standard of the competition - the league signs them.

Once that's done, the clubs then bid how much they're prepared to pay them. Best bid wins - if you think he's worth a million, you can make him one of your marquees and pay him a million. If you want to pay him $600k and try and fit him under the cap, you can do that too if yours is the winning bid. Then the league makes up the shortfall of the contract amount. But no one is disadvantaged, because everyone had the opportunity to make him a marquee or to bid for him under the cap. (Realistically, you'd probably have to set a deadline of something like 1 August, because squads need to build before the October league start - but you could work within something like that too.)


It won't happen of course - it's probably the one downfall of A-League independence. After a decade+ of losses on their investments, the club owners are now going to do what suits their hip pocket. Having to give up $200k each off the league's bottom line to pay Sainsbury $2.6m (hypothetical numbers) for a guy that isn't even going to play for you isn't something they're ever going to do. If the money from the tv deal is going to a well-run FFA, who's remit is to elevate and grow the game, you're probably more likely to get creative outcomes like this (not that the FFA-controlled league ever did it anyway, cos they were too financially hamstrung and administratively incompetent.)


I just don't think we ever take a very long term view of growing football in this country. If you get a guy like Sainsbury here, he elevates the game because he's a current walk-up start for the national team coming home - but not only that, he improves the other defenders in his team, and he improves the attackers on the opposition teams because you have to be better to beat him than you do to beat Brendan Hamill. He also builds interest in the Socceroos, cos here's an established star that you can watch week in and week out.

 

[gaskin]

I don't like your scenario as it encompasses the thing I despise most about American sport. The player has no power over where they go. The club holds all the power and if they want to trade them somewhere else, the player has no option but to go despite being the one who has to sign the contract. It is dumb and the fact that players associations over there allow it is mind-boggling.


This is a situation where I wouldn't mind the A-League stumping up some extra cash for one of the struggling teams like CCM to get him in. If he were to come back here, you just know it will be to one of the top teams unless a very lucrative offer is put in front of him from one of the other sides. He has ties to CCM as it is where he started but I could also easily see him coming to the Glory as he is from here.

 

[Colonial]

No Cookies | Daily Telegraph

No Cookies

www.dailytelegraph.com.au

A-League club owners launch ‘100 days’ blueprint to kickstart competition’s renewal

Tom Smithies Exclusive, The Daily Telegraph

an hour ago


A-League club owners have begun a “first 100 days” blitz to revolutionise the way the competition is marketed and run, with widespread investment promised to combat sliding ratings and attendances.

After years spent wresting control of their own competition from Football Federation Australia, owners revealed plans to hitting the ground running with transfers between clubs, prize money for successful teams, a 16-team expansion plan and — most immediately — a digital-led campaign to drive awareness among sports fans.
The plans were presented to CEOs, coaches and staff of the clubs at a two-day summit in Double Bay.

Officials described the owners’ presentation as “evangelical” in underlining the urgent need to combat the sense of inertia that has gripped the competition for the past two years.

The 100 days appears to spring from the August 1 date that the clubs effectively began running the league through to the early rounds of the new season, with promises from the owners of immediate spending on higher quality digital engagement, and mimicking ticketing strategies used in other codes successfully via social media campaigns.
Club officials said the presentation, led by Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow and Melbourne City vice chairman Simon Pearce, plotted a pathway into the future to include a 16-team competition via a regionally targeted expansion plan and an international “roadshow” seeking fresh investment.
The competition has had 10 teams since 2012 but welcomes an 11th club, Western United, this coming season, with Macarthur United joining the season after.
All footballing elements of the A-League are up for discussion in the new model, the owners said, with the salary cap under review and consideration of prize money being awarded based on performance.

The minor premiers would get a share of that, while a season opener inspired by England’s Community Shield would pit the minor premiers against the champions. A “sinking fund” would be established to support clubs struggling financially.
Much of the presentation compared the A-League with leagues overseas in benchmarks from attendances to squad value, with the owners making clear they expect their plans to quickly reverse Australia’s decline compared with other countries.
The new strategy was presented as a reboot of the competition, with coaches and football staff told that the league will try to innovate with both its broadcast access and its rules, aiming to be a competition that allows FIFA to trial initiatives — as it did with VAR.
Under the agreement reached in June between the clubs and the member federations that run the game at grassroots level, the clubs will pay a percentage of their broadcast revenue to FFA each year to be allowed to run their own competition, though not for the first four seasons.
Much of the blueprint echoes the establishment of the English Premier League, including the competition’s referees being spun off into a separate body independent of the clubs and FFA.

 

[Silent Alarm]

That Community Shield will get about 6,000 people to it if it's a Sydney Derby.

 

[giggler99]

Some nice ideas but we’ve all heard it before.

More action, less talk! Please.

 

[giggler99]

Aucklander Andonis1997

You guys would be pleased about this

Auckland team could join Wellington Phoenix in A-League
August 14, 2019 — 5.44pm
The A-League's independence from Football Federation Australia could see Wellington Phoenix remain in the competition for the long term – and the New Zealanders could be joined by another club from their homeland, with an Auckland franchise flagged for 2023.
Wellington's licence was to be reviewed at the end of this season by FFA but it appears the Phoenix's existence will be safe for the foreseeable future now that A-League club owners are set to assume ownership of the competition, transitioning all licences away from FFA.
Here to stay: Wellington Phoenix could remain in the A-League for the long term.
Photo: AAP
The Sydney Morning Herald understands several club owners are unwilling to sever ties with the Phoenix's ownership group despite Wellington's meagre contribution to broadcast revenue, audiences and attendances both home and away.
"As far as the owners are concerned, we back Wellington Phoenix all the way," one club chairman said. "Their franchise is part of the A-League."
Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison is a popular figure within the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association – the body representing the A-League club owners – with club sources suggesting they will respect the investment in the club and his preference to keep his licence in the New Zealand capital.
It's understood formal discussions on Wellington's future are yet to take place between the clubs and FFA as they prioritise planning for the upcoming season. Club owners and FFA have toiled together to attract interest in a crucial year for the A-League in which they hope to bring crowds back to games and audiences to TV coverage.
After years of dwindling interest, clubs feel more incentive to invest under the new ownership structure. Now that they will retain the bulk of A-League revenue, APFCA are determined to drive interest in the game not only for the wellbeing of the code and competition but also to increase the sale price of licences in future rounds of expansion.
Western United from West Melbourne and Geelong will enter the competition this season, and the Campbelltown-based Macarthur FC will make their A-League debut next year. At this stage, it is likely the new entity running the A-League will initiate the next stage of expansion in 2021 by inviting bids from pre-determined markets. Two new teams could then be announced in 2022, providing those winning bids with at least a full year to prepare for their debut seasons in 2023 when the next TV deal will begin.
Unlike the previous round of expansion in which FFA invited bids from all over the country before deciding on its preferred markets, the next stage of expansion under the guidance of the club owners will only invite bids from specific markets. While those won't be finalised for up to two years, club sources suggest a number of owners are already fancying the prospect of inviting bids from Brisbane, Canberra and Auckland.
Of all the yet to be tapped markets, Auckland represents the largest population base without an A-League team. A number of owners are attracted to its potential despite the previous failure of the New Zealand Knights. There is also a belief among some that an Auckland team will resuscitate Wellington Phoenix's popularity by providing a New Zealand derby that hinges on the existing rivalry between the two cities.
Several owners are sympathetic to Wellington's history of being granted only short-term licences from FFA, which has prohibited significant investment and long-term strategies being put in place. One club owner described the relationship between the A-League and New Zealand as "half pregnant", suggesting a stronger involvement could yield better rewards. However, any expansion involving Auckland would likely only come with greater assurances, investment and commitment from the country's governing body, New Zealand Football.

Auckland team could join Wellington Phoenix in A-League

The A-League's new owners are not looking to cut Wellington Phoenix from the competition any time soon, instead considering expansion into Auckland.

amp.theage.com.au

 

[Aucklander]

It would be nice to cheer for an Auckland based team, but it's a fair while away I would think.

 

[Colonial]

Aucklander Andonis1997

You guys would be pleased about this

Auckland team could join Wellington Phoenix in A-League
August 14, 2019 — 5.44pm
The A-League's independence from Football Federation Australia could see Wellington Phoenix remain in the competition for the long term – and the New Zealanders could be joined by another club from their homeland, with an Auckland franchise flagged for 2023.
Wellington's licence was to be reviewed at the end of this season by FFA but it appears the Phoenix's existence will be safe for the foreseeable future now that A-League club owners are set to assume ownership of the competition, transitioning all licences away from FFA.
Here to stay: Wellington Phoenix could remain in the A-League for the long term.
Photo: AAP
The Sydney Morning Herald understands several club owners are unwilling to sever ties with the Phoenix's ownership group despite Wellington's meagre contribution to broadcast revenue, audiences and attendances both home and away.
"As far as the owners are concerned, we back Wellington Phoenix all the way," one club chairman said. "Their franchise is part of the A-League."
Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison is a popular figure within the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association – the body representing the A-League club owners – with club sources suggesting they will respect the investment in the club and his preference to keep his licence in the New Zealand capital.
It's understood formal discussions on Wellington's future are yet to take place between the clubs and FFA as they prioritise planning for the upcoming season. Club owners and FFA have toiled together to attract interest in a crucial year for the A-League in which they hope to bring crowds back to games and audiences to TV coverage.
After years of dwindling interest, clubs feel more incentive to invest under the new ownership structure. Now that they will retain the bulk of A-League revenue, APFCA are determined to drive interest in the game not only for the wellbeing of the code and competition but also to increase the sale price of licences in future rounds of expansion.
Western United from West Melbourne and Geelong will enter the competition this season, and the Campbelltown-based Macarthur FC will make their A-League debut next year. At this stage, it is likely the new entity running the A-League will initiate the next stage of expansion in 2021 by inviting bids from pre-determined markets. Two new teams could then be announced in 2022, providing those winning bids with at least a full year to prepare for their debut seasons in 2023 when the next TV deal will begin.
Unlike the previous round of expansion in which FFA invited bids from all over the country before deciding on its preferred markets, the next stage of expansion under the guidance of the club owners will only invite bids from specific markets. While those won't be finalised for up to two years, club sources suggest a number of owners are already fancying the prospect of inviting bids from Brisbane, Canberra and Auckland.
Of all the yet to be tapped markets, Auckland represents the largest population base without an A-League team. A number of owners are attracted to its potential despite the previous failure of the New Zealand Knights. There is also a belief among some that an Auckland team will resuscitate Wellington Phoenix's popularity by providing a New Zealand derby that hinges on the existing rivalry between the two cities.
Several owners are sympathetic to Wellington's history of being granted only short-term licences from FFA, which has prohibited significant investment and long-term strategies being put in place. One club owner described the relationship between the A-League and New Zealand as "half pregnant", suggesting a stronger involvement could yield better rewards. However, any expansion involving Auckland would likely only come with greater assurances, investment and commitment from the country's governing body, New Zealand Football.

Auckland team could join Wellington Phoenix in A-League

The A-League's new owners are not looking to cut Wellington Phoenix from the competition any time soon, instead considering expansion into Auckland.

amp.theage.com.au

I would be all for a "derby" for the Pheonix. Think it would help them.

Amusing though regarding the sentence of inviting bids only from certain regions
No more Sydney or Melbourne teams you would think.

 

[gaskin]

If an Aukland team were to come in, they'd better market it better than the Phoenix do.

I would be all for a "derby" for the Pheonix. Think it would help them.

They have one. The Distance Derby.

 

[craigos]

Auckland should have been where the Phoenix are. Bring in an Auckland team and watch Phoenix die.

 

[Colonial]

Auckland should have been where the Phoenix are. Bring in an Auckland team and watch Phoenix die.

Nah think it'll build a rivalry and bring a boost to the comp in NZ.

For the love of me I've never worked out why the NRL doesn't have a 2nd or even 3rd NZ side. Especially with how popular the warriors are

 

[craigos]

The release is extremely exciting for us Aus sokkah fans. Whilst it's only words and the only thing that will prove to us their intentions is action, this is more strategic outline for the A League from the new "owners" than the FFA managed to put forward even after announcing expansion.

One or two of Wollongong, Canberra or Hobart seem to be the certainty for next expansion. If I was a betting man I'd have Canberra and Brisbane next two teams, followed closely by Wollongong and Hobart (branded Tasmania).

The league is still a bit off starting, so the FFA Cup can continue to market the game and I'd expect a month out to see any evidence of their promotion start to seep through.

 

[craigos]

Nah think it'll build a rivalry and bring a boost to the comp in NZ.

For the love of me I've never worked out why the NRL doesn't have a 2nd or even 3rd NZ side. Especially with how popular the warriors are

The same reason the Phoenix don't get much love from NZ Football, they have no control over the team as it's under Australian rule.

 

[Colonial]

The release is extremely exciting for us Aus sokkah fans. Whilst it's only words and the only thing that will prove to us their intentions is action, this is more strategic outline for the A League from the new "owners" than the FFA managed to put forward even after announcing expansion.

One or two of Wollongong, Canberra or Hobart seem to be the certainty for next expansion. If I was a betting man I'd have Canberra and Brisbane next two teams, followed closely by Wollongong and Hobart (branded Tasmania).

The league is still a bit off starting, so the FFA Cup can continue to market the game and I'd expect a month out to see any evidence of their promotion start to seep through.

What I've read and heard Canberra and 2nd Brisbane are a lock for 13 and 14.
15 and 16? Who knows.

 

[corbies]

Joey Champness got a release from the Jets to chase his music career in the U.S. It's an indictment on the league that we aren't favourites to run last every year.

 

[giggler99]

Dug their own hole

FFA facing funding black hole
Kevin Airs

The imminent split from the A-League is set to leave the FFA with a fraction of its current budget and desperate for revenue.
A final agreement between the A-League clubs and the FFA was due to be signed off on August 1 - but neither side has yet revealed the full details.
It is believed there have been intense Brexit-like negotiations on how to divide the current income between both parties when some deals like Hyundai’s – said to be worth around $20m a year – include both the A-League rights and partnerships with the Socceroos and Matildas.
Revenue from the A-League Finals Series also needs to be determined. In previous seasons, clubs have retained home and away season revenues, but the FFA retained the Finals revenue, worth $3m-plus.
The FFA Cup has also traditionally been an FFA project - but is not a moneyspinner, worth just $200k to the FFA, with most revenue going to the local clubs, while Westfield have also now dropped their naming rights deal.
The desperate fight is vital for the FFA’s future with the organisation seeing its income being slashed from around $130m a year to little more than registration fees ($9.4m, including A-League licence fees), merchandise deals ($3.6m, including A-League/W-League) and national team income, ($3.6m from Socceroos, $0.6m from Matildas) plus prizemoney (worth $10m in 2018 because of the World Cup, but 30% is shared with players).

They also received $2.4m from state government to host Socceroos and Matildas games, plus grants worth $9.6m, including government aid for the bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2023.


As part of the split already agreed with A-League club owners, the FFA have even signed away the licence fee they can charge the new breakaway league structure for the next four years, worth more than $16m.


It also means the end of a gravy train which has seen senior management on extravagant salaries, six-figure bonuses and five star expense accounts, some of which was allegedly included in the $14.9m spent on “marketing and media” expenses in the last annual report, on top of the $16m spent on travel, which included the World Cup and extended play-off qualifiers.


Without A-League income, the entire FFA budget is likely to be slashed to around $30-$45m a year in total, around a quarter to a third of the current figure, to fund all aspects of the game outside of domestic top tier football, including international teams, youth development, promotion of the sport, grassroots and coaching and referees, plus all administration staffing and expenses.

FFA facing funding black hole

Football Federation Australia will need to turn the new National Second Division into a mini-A-League cash factory in a bid to fill the funding black hole facing the governing body, insiders predict.

www.ftbl.com.au

 

[Colonial]

Stuff

i.stuff.co.nz

New Zealand 'crying out' for second A-League team, says Auckland City chairman

Phillip Rollo15:36, Aug 15 2019

Auckland City have participated at the Club World Cup nine times.

Auckland City Football Club chairman Ivan Vuksich says New Zealand's biggest city is "crying out" for an A-League team, but any prospective bid would have to come from a separate entity despite his own personal interest.
"Wellington Phoenix have a great group of people behind it and that's what you need — people who are prepared to invest in the city, tourism and all the spinoffs that go with it," Vuksich said.
"But you need those people to be able to back it up and that's what we need to look for. I'm sure they are around."

New Zealand Knights were based out of Auckland in the early 2000s but they struggled both on and off the pitch and only lasted two seasons before dissolving.
However, interest is growing in Australia regarding a possible return to Auckland in the next phase of expansion, exciting Vuksich who firmly believes New Zealand's biggest market is deserving of another shot at the A-League, pointing to last season's record crowd when 22,000 people turned out to watch Wellington Phoenix play Melbourne Victory at Eden Park to prove the audience is there.

"The way that New Zealand Football is set-up, it's absolutely vital that we have something like that in Auckland. To try and battle away like we do, like others in New Zealand, in our league is bloody hard work and we do our share of developing players but a pro club can certainly do more — a lot more," he said.
"The market in Auckland, if you get up to 1.8 million to 2 million [people], then there's got to be a place for another team in this market. It's a big city, it's as big as Perth and they have a very successful who got second last season, they lost in the shootout."

But despite his own personal interest, Vuksich said the project would be too big for seven-time New Zealand champions Auckland City to undertake and it would require a separate entity to apply for expansion. Vuksich said the club has taken a huge financial hit after failing to qualify for the Club World Cup for the past two seasons. That has resulted in a significant restructure and has also cost the club its front of shirt sponsor, Japanese candy company Hi-Chew.
"It has to stand alone in my view. It's just too big a project. It's massive. Personally I would love to be involved and I would love to drive it, but that would mean moving out of Auckland City. It does really fascinate me and it really does interest me and I've had three or four informal discussions with Greg Griffin, the chairman [Australian Professional Football Clubs Association] and he has always expressed positivity towards a team from Auckland and I guess the Phoenix have now too.
"It makes sense to me. It's just a matter of joining all the dots together. But it's definitely possible."
Vuksich said Auckland City has explored A-League expansion previously but ran into numerous dead ends, mainly due to a lack of financial investment — which will be the biggest barrier for any prospective future bid.

"We always contemplated it but that's where we always landed in the end. We thought we might use a name very similar to Auckland City to capitalise on the brand, or change the other one, but it has to be a completely separate entity with a separate board. One is a professional club and one isn't, and it has to stay that way."
Vuksich said another challenge is Auckland's stadium situation. He said QBE Stadium in Albany and Mt Smart in Penrose were both difficult to get to, while the city's premier venue Eden Park is "too big and too expensive".

 

[Andonis1997]

I'm not sure how successful Auckland will be when a team who were called 'NZ' failed in New Zealand (for more reasons than lack of interest, of course).

Keep building the Nix and then see what happens, but I want Wollongong (who won the NPL NSW) and Canberra who deserve a team.

 

[Colonial]

Say it quietly, but the A-League's actually just taken a positive step

And no one noticed!

www.theroar.com.au

 

[Quivorir]

A-League membership: Every club's prices compared ahead of the 2019-20 season | Goal.com Australia

Though the next A-League season may still be two months away, Goal has rounded up the membership prices for all eleven clubs.

www.goal.com

 

[ioppolo]

Jesus Christ, what's Glory's excuse there

 

[gaskin]

Jesus Christ, what's Glory's excuse there

There would be a multitude of factors but the main one would be how much the club have to pay to use NIB.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Dug their own hole

FFA facing funding black hole
Kevin Airs

The imminent split from the A-League is set to leave the FFA with a fraction of its current budget and desperate for revenue.
A final agreement between the A-League clubs and the FFA was due to be signed off on August 1 - but neither side has yet revealed the full details.
It is believed there have been intense Brexit-like negotiations on how to divide the current income between both parties when some deals like Hyundai’s – said to be worth around $20m a year – include both the A-League rights and partnerships with the Socceroos and Matildas.
Revenue from the A-League Finals Series also needs to be determined. In previous seasons, clubs have retained home and away season revenues, but the FFA retained the Finals revenue, worth $3m-plus.
The FFA Cup has also traditionally been an FFA project - but is not a moneyspinner, worth just $200k to the FFA, with most revenue going to the local clubs, while Westfield have also now dropped their naming rights deal.
The desperate fight is vital for the FFA’s future with the organisation seeing its income being slashed from around $130m a year to little more than registration fees ($9.4m, including A-League licence fees), merchandise deals ($3.6m, including A-League/W-League) and national team income, ($3.6m from Socceroos, $0.6m from Matildas) plus prizemoney (worth $10m in 2018 because of the World Cup, but 30% is shared with players).

They also received $2.4m from state government to host Socceroos and Matildas games, plus grants worth $9.6m, including government aid for the bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2023.


As part of the split already agreed with A-League club owners, the FFA have even signed away the licence fee they can charge the new breakaway league structure for the next four years, worth more than $16m.


It also means the end of a gravy train which has seen senior management on extravagant salaries, six-figure bonuses and five star expense accounts, some of which was allegedly included in the $14.9m spent on “marketing and media” expenses in the last annual report, on top of the $16m spent on travel, which included the World Cup and extended play-off qualifiers.


Without A-League income, the entire FFA budget is likely to be slashed to around $30-$45m a year in total, around a quarter to a third of the current figure, to fund all aspects of the game outside of domestic top tier football, including international teams, youth development, promotion of the sport, grassroots and coaching and referees, plus all administration staffing and expenses.

FFA facing funding black hole

Football Federation Australia will need to turn the new National Second Division into a mini-A-League cash factory in a bid to fill the funding black hole facing the governing body, insiders predict.

www.ftbl.com.au

None of this is really news - it's why it was always surprising to me that, once the calls for A-League independence reached critical mass, the FFA folded with a whimper. There's no real way to fund the sport, especially at junior levels any more, unless the sponsorship and tv deals around our national teams increase exponentially above what they are now.

It's probably the biggest negative of independence - Fox Sports were funding the FFA (and through the FFA, football development) in this country through its tv rights for the Socceroos and the A-League. Now? We're now pretty much entirely reliant on rich people who own clubs to fund football development out of the goodness of their hearts. This is fine in 10-15 years if we have a thriving league and the clubs are looking to feather their own nest, but it lends itself to some really lean times for the Socceroos and Matildas in the meantime. And support for football in Australia is so fickle you constantly wonder whether it can survive even one World Cup cycle where we fail to qualify.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Stuff

i.stuff.co.nz

New Zealand 'crying out' for second A-League team, says Auckland City chairman

Phillip Rollo15:36, Aug 15 2019

Auckland City have participated at the Club World Cup nine times.

Auckland City Football Club chairman Ivan Vuksich says New Zealand's biggest city is "crying out" for an A-League team, but any prospective bid would have to come from a separate entity despite his own personal interest.
"Wellington Phoenix have a great group of people behind it and that's what you need — people who are prepared to invest in the city, tourism and all the spinoffs that go with it," Vuksich said.
"But you need those people to be able to back it up and that's what we need to look for. I'm sure they are around."

New Zealand Knights were based out of Auckland in the early 2000s but they struggled both on and off the pitch and only lasted two seasons before dissolving.
However, interest is growing in Australia regarding a possible return to Auckland in the next phase of expansion, exciting Vuksich who firmly believes New Zealand's biggest market is deserving of another shot at the A-League, pointing to last season's record crowd when 22,000 people turned out to watch Wellington Phoenix play Melbourne Victory at Eden Park to prove the audience is there.

"The way that New Zealand Football is set-up, it's absolutely vital that we have something like that in Auckland. To try and battle away like we do, like others in New Zealand, in our league is bloody hard work and we do our share of developing players but a pro club can certainly do more — a lot more," he said.
"The market in Auckland, if you get up to 1.8 million to 2 million [people], then there's got to be a place for another team in this market. It's a big city, it's as big as Perth and they have a very successful who got second last season, they lost in the shootout."

But despite his own personal interest, Vuksich said the project would be too big for seven-time New Zealand champions Auckland City to undertake and it would require a separate entity to apply for expansion. Vuksich said the club has taken a huge financial hit after failing to qualify for the Club World Cup for the past two seasons. That has resulted in a significant restructure and has also cost the club its front of shirt sponsor, Japanese candy company Hi-Chew.
"It has to stand alone in my view. It's just too big a project. It's massive. Personally I would love to be involved and I would love to drive it, but that would mean moving out of Auckland City. It does really fascinate me and it really does interest me and I've had three or four informal discussions with Greg Griffin, the chairman [Australian Professional Football Clubs Association] and he has always expressed positivity towards a team from Auckland and I guess the Phoenix have now too.
"It makes sense to me. It's just a matter of joining all the dots together. But it's definitely possible."
Vuksich said Auckland City has explored A-League expansion previously but ran into numerous dead ends, mainly due to a lack of financial investment — which will be the biggest barrier for any prospective future bid.

"We always contemplated it but that's where we always landed in the end. We thought we might use a name very similar to Auckland City to capitalise on the brand, or change the other one, but it has to be a completely separate entity with a separate board. One is a professional club and one isn't, and it has to stay that way."
Vuksich said another challenge is Auckland's stadium situation. He said QBE Stadium in Albany and Mt Smart in Penrose were both difficult to get to, while the city's premier venue Eden Park is "too big and too expensive".

What a strange plea from Vuksich.

Whether justified or not, the Nix have been in the gun for the last 3 years. And now this bloke is talking about another NZ team?

I can't decide if this is just a guy with a blinkered view of what football in New Zealand needs and isn't considering the reality of Australian football, or whether this signals an incorrect view that A-League independence is a panacea that magically solves the issues that the Nix have had, and that they've presented to the A-League.