2 hours ago, Carns said:

https://www.espn.com.au/football/australian-a-league/story/4078186/football-federation-australias-last-opportunity-to-reset-and-fulfill-soccers-true-potential?

Good article on the challenges and opportunities that'll come if (when?) Fox pulls the broadcast rights. Is it an opportunity to change the structure of football in this country?

I thought James Johnson indicated in his press conference the other day that this could be a good time to look at restructuring football although he gave no indication of what he was thinking about.

The one thing I wish people would stop talking about is a "full pyramid".  In Australia and lots of other countries this isn't viable.  The fact that it exists in countries with relatively small land area and where football is the dominant sport doesn't mean it is suitable here.

In NSW we have a system that works with the District Associations looking after amateur football, the NPL competitions looking after semi pro football and the A-League and W-League looking after professional football.  Of course it can improve but it has been successful, producing over half of the international footballers of all ages in Australia and having penetrated the community 3 to 4 times greater than in any other state.  It actually ties in with the model that FIFA uses in its Grassroots training that has 2 pyramids that only overlap in the early years, 1 leading to professional football and the other for amateurs.

Australian football would be much better off spending resources on growing the game where it is weak rather than chasing a hypothetical pyramid that is both costly and impractical.

Firstly, I hope you and those around you are staying safe during these strange times.
 
We are in the midst of an unprecedented global event. We are faced with an evolving crisis that is affecting all of our families and friends, our businesses and our community.

These are trying times for all, and on behalf of the Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club, I take this opportunity to extend to all our members our heartfelt best wishes on getting through this period.
 
Our members are the beating heart of our club. During these past weeks the club has been inundated with messages of goodwill and we thank you for your continued support now and into our future.
 
We assure you that right now we are fighting for the survival of this football club and professional football in this country. We need your support now more than ever to get us through this extraordinary time to keep our club strong.
 
During this challenging period, we would like to provide you with an update on the current state of play for the Hyundai A-League and we certainly appreciate your understanding and patience as we continue to work through the complex issues that COVID-19 (coronavirus) presents for our club, our sport and way of life.
 
On Tuesday 24 March, Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced that it had postponed the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season effective immediately as a consequence of ongoing developments resulting from the spread of COVID-19. This decision was based on advice from the Australian Federal and State governments, consultation with medical experts and discussions with Professional Footballers Australia, our club and the other Hyundai A-League clubs.
 
The goal at this stage is to reschedule games as soon as it is reasonably possible to do so in order to complete the season. FFA will review the situation over the coming weeks and conduct a further assessment on the status of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season on 22 April 2020.
 
As a club, we will continue to provide you with updates as they become available, including what any decision on 22 April means for your 2019/20 season membership.
 
We really hope to have uplifting news on our next communication.
 
Once again, thank you for your continued support and stay safe.
 
Sincerely,
 
John Tsatsimas
Chief Executive Officer
Western Sydney Wanderers FC

I wonder if I’ll be back... To the forum, yes, because I have it bookmarked, but as a ticketed member of the club/A-League team? I have a foundation membership, but my commitment to the club, or more accurately my commitment to discovering what cheap trinket we will get for 10 years of membership, was already on shaky ground long before the pandemic. I honestly don’t think it will survive an extended offseason. 

'Right now we are fighting for the survival of this football club'....

That line fills me with dread.

1 hour ago, Smoggy said:

'Right now we are fighting for the survival of this football club'....

That line fills me with dread.

Yes, think not just the club but the whole League !

24 minutes ago, jockman said:

Yes, think not just the club but the whole League !

Will a club like CCM come out the other side of this! Will the comp as a whole be the same..who the **** knows.

Great environment fot the Rams to get going eh lol

8 hours ago, Smoggy said:

'Right now we are fighting for the survival of this football club'....

That line fills me with dread.

We have a billionaire owner, the club's survival shouldn't even be in question.

On 26/03/2020 at 1:08 PM, Carns said:

https://www.espn.com.au/football/australian-a-league/story/4078186/football-federation-australias-last-opportunity-to-reset-and-fulfill-soccers-true-potential?

Good article on the challenges and opportunities that'll come if (when?) Fox pulls the broadcast rights. Is it an opportunity to change the structure of football in this country?

I believe this to be true and the only way forward for Australian football, we have chance to press the reset button because chances are the A-league will come out worse because of all this if they continue along this line. 

A nature pyramid will see those who want football here in Australia to grow and flourish will do what they can to put football first unlike what has happened over the last 15 years or so under the Lowy regime.

Jets player & a member of #NixOut coaching staff test positive 

Coronavirus strikes two A-League teams as player, staff member test positive

A Newcastle Jets player has tested positive for the coronavirus.Source: AAP

An A-League player has tested positive for coronavirus, while a member of another club’s coaching staff has also been found to have the disease.

Less than a week after the competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak, an unnamed Newcastle Jets player was found to have the virus.

According to The Daily Telegraph, “it’s understood the Jets player is asymptomatic, and only found he had coronavirus when tested before attempting to board a plane this week.”

Watch Foxtel in an instant. Catch up and settle in with no installation & no lock-in contract.Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. New customers only.

 

 

 

Liverpool stars say thank you

1:28

The Jets played the A-League’s final match on Monday night before the competition was suspended – a behind-closed-doors win over Melbourne City in Newcastle.

The entire Newcastle squad is believed to now be self-isolating, as is the Wellington Phoenix squad who recently returned to New Zealand after the competition was placed on ice.

The Daily Telegraph reports a member of the Phoenix coaching staff has also tested positive.

Phoenix most recently played on Sunday the 15th – in Wellington – but had since travelled to Sydney where the side quarantined themselves in Sydney in the hopes of completing the A-League season in Australia.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/28/pfa-threatens-legal-action-after-perth-glory-stands-down-a-league-players

58 minutes ago, Paul01 said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/28/pfa-threatens-legal-action-after-perth-glory-stands-down-a-league-players

I am normally pro players, pro fans and anti-establishment, and I think it’d be better for the entire league to work together, but every club is in a different situation financially and there are businesses all over the world standing down people.

I don’t see how the PFA think that Fairwork will fine Glory, there is a whole section on their website regarding rules about stand-downs and they only need to prove there is a “work stoppage”. I think it’s pretty clear there is one.

Unless there's something in the PFA-FFA collective bargaining agreement that says they can't be stood down for any reason the PFA response is extremely hyperbolic.

So apparently 50% of players in the league come off contact in May, can’t see clubs renewing players until season kicks off again, going to be chaos

2 hours ago, btron3000 said:

I am normally pro players, pro fans and anti-establishment, and I think it’d be better for the entire league to work together, but every club is in a different situation financially and there are businesses all over the world standing down people.

I don’t see how the PFA think that Fairwork will fine Glory, there is a whole section on their website regarding rules about stand-downs and they only need to prove there is a “work stoppage”. I think it’s pretty clear there is one.

Plus I can see their dig at sending the players across the country backfiring. Sage can just say that it shows how hard he tried to prevent a work stoppage and keep paying his players until it got taken out of his hands.

I’ve been through a lot following this club but a global virus was never something I pictured happening...

Where did that letter from PL come from cause I certainly don't think i've received it? Honestly unless the league folds I can't see the club going bust because of the virus. Just one of our owners is a billionaire. Thats not including the other 3. I think a few teams could potentially go bust in the league but can't see the league folding as a whole unless Fox pulls out before seasons end.

How much will this really affect the competition though? Will the clubs ability to sign various players (marquees, foreigners) be affected? Will clubs go bust? Its such a foreign position, i'm very unsure of the implications of what this could bring to the league, as i'm sure many probably are.

I got it in an email.

9 hours ago, THEWANDERERSPOST said:

I think a few teams could potentially go bust in the league but can't see the league folding as a whole unless Fox pulls out before seasons end.

A lot depends on Fox, if they go through with their threats of ripping up the TV deal for the AL not finishing the season, well it will be interesting for the smaller clubs.

We’ve already seen Perth Glory stand down their players (PFA threatening legal & fines) & a few players test positive for c19 (Newcastle & Wellington) so will be interesting to see.

Things are so fluid that’s it’s impossible to say anything or make any plans with any certainty right now but be interesting to see whether Fox rip up the current TV deal before we get a chance to play the rest of the season.

I assume the email was sent to members? I got one too

I am less optimistic on getting this season finished at the moment...

1 hour ago, Prydzopolis said:

A lot depends on Fox, if they go through with their threats of ripping up the TV deal for the AL not finishing the season, well it will be interesting for the smaller clubs.

We’ve already seen Perth Glory stand down their players (PFA threatening legal & fines) & a few players test positive for c19 (Newcastle & Wellington) so will be interesting to see.

Things are so fluid that’s it’s impossible to say anything or make any plans with any certainty right now but be interesting to see whether Fox rip up the current TV deal before we get a chance to play the rest of the season.

I assume the email was sent to members? I got one too

Thanks. The email was most probably sent to all members like myself, although I didn't get one so not sure what the deal is there?

7 minutes ago, THEWANDERERSPOST said:

Thanks. The email was most probably sent to all members like myself, although I didn't get one so not sure what the deal is there?

Junk mail? It was sent on Thursday if that’s any help.

I’d suggest sending the club an email but you’ll probably find that they’ve stood down the majority of the staff. They’ve always been a bit sketchy with people getting stuff at different times.

7 minutes ago, Prydzopolis said:

Junk mail? It was sent on Thursday if that’s any help.

I’d suggest sending the club an email but you’ll probably find that they’ve stood down the majority of the staff. They’ve always been a bit sketchy with people getting stuff at different times.

Nup lol. Oh well it was a very interesting letter. Hopefully everything sorts itself out.

For Australia i am getting a bit more confident on getting some games back on and finishing the season, even if behind closed doors for a while...

The curve seems to have flattened as they said it would....

Lets see...

I know its good for the economy for people to be still employed but seriously does this nob get paid to write this

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/need-to-finish-a-league-season-china-could-be-the-answer

Sorry Stringer, I'm not even going to click on that link.

The link title gave it away.

Story this morning in the smh that FFA/AL looking at its options now that Foxtel seem ready to pull the trigger & rip up the TV deal. They are also not paying the final 900,000 which is why the clubs are now standing down the players 

Also, Optus Sport has announcement tomorrow morning at 8am. New deal for AL to broadcast games? Too soon to announce streaming of AL?

1 hour ago, Prydzopolis said:

Story this morning in the smh that FFA/AL looking at its options now that Foxtel seem ready to pull the trigger & rip up the TV deal. They are also not paying the final 900,000 which is why the clubs are now standing down the players 

Also, Optus Sport has announcement tomorrow morning at 8am. New deal for AL to broadcast games? Too soon to announce streaming of AL?

Well that will save me $25 a month 

1 hour ago, Prydzopolis said:

Optus Sport has announcement tomorrow morning at 8am. New deal for AL to broadcast games? Too soon to announce streaming of AL?

Too soon, surely? As much as I hope and expect them to pick it up, surely a lot more negotiating involved than that?

Classic Fox PR machine still making out like they’re in a position to be selecting who they keep and get rid of as if they’re so in demand and important LOL

They’ll be lucky to survive this if they don’t get some live sport back within the next 3 months. The way America is going right now, they look like being one of the last to get their sport back up and running so that’s an enormous blow to Fox Sports content. 

The A-League is going to be fine. It’s the AFL and NRL who should be shitting themselves right now because the bubbles burst and they aren’t worth near the $1-2b they were previously given. Fox and 9 are trying to exploit any loophole they can to wriggle out or renegotiate the deal. If Fox go under all together then god knows where they’ll go or who will give them anywhere near what they’re getting now. There’s a big reality check incoming for Australian sport.