Thursday, October 21, 2010

A-League needs a new player contract system

Why should Fury fans be done over by other clubs that can't find players in their own backyards?

Use the US MLS system and have all players contracted centrally - one in all in.

And no trading of players unless both clubs and FFA agree.

Cernak process makes it look like FFA is writing off Fury. Poor decision making again.

Compare this to the way Adelaide has been pump-primed in a desperate attempt to find a buyer. Meanwhile the other owners suffer the consequence of an artificially strong Adelaide.

4 comments:

orangecrush said...

Per head of local population Fury is probably the best supported side in the league ... and probably have the smallest wages bill, and playing good football - doing all the right things IMO. So where's Fury's LA Galaxy match on a platter from the FFA???

john said...

maybe the FFA are writing them off.

I think they are needed as we qualify via Asia and they have topical conditions.

I am really cheesed off by the way the FFA have backed Adelaide and let Fury swing.

Bill said...

"Compare this to the way Adelaide has been pump-primed in a desperate attempt to find a buyer."
Do you have facts backing up this assertion? What do you mean by 'artificially strong', are you suggesting that Adelaide are operating outside the cap (because that goes against what I've been told, which is that Adelaide are only at 85% of cap, without a marquee player)? If you're going to spout shit like this you need to back it up. Or are you just pissed off that Van Dijk is wearing red now?
Besides, Adelaide are not the only club to have been given a helping hand by the FFA. I agree that it is terrible that the FFA have been less willing to help out the Fury than they have been with Adelaide (AND Brisbane, AND Perth, etc), but if you honestly think the FFA is buying Adelaide's success you're deluded. We would love nothing more than to break free from the FFA's bosom with a new owner that can loosen the purse strings.

john said...

Thanks Bill I appreciate your comments
And understand your position, it is great to see the turnaround at Adelaide and the fans turning out. I thought about how I would respond to your comment as clearly I have cheezed you off. Which I don't want to do.

So I will try to explain. No I wasn't saying that they had breached the cap.

I was implying that they have paid more for certain players (and the coach) than a private owner would have paid for them and more than they could have if they were in receivership.

The evidence for this is that Ange (there is a quote from before he was coach where he goads Farina) was desperate to keep van Dijk, and Sydney (can still be argued to be the richest club) both made their best possible offers for van Dijk and Adelaide trumped them.

Why did Adelaide pay up? Because they were about to play the Asia Cup and they had just come bottom. For van Dijk? He had said he was interested in playing in Asia and implied he wanted more money. It is possible he is the best paid player under the cap.

Yes I think it is wrong that foreign players can switch clubs - they should go. Switching clubs is just anti-fan. Clubs should thrill their fans with a 'find' not buy someone else's success.

Would Adelaide be on top without van Dijk's 4 goals? Don't know. Are they playing well? Yes. Have they got a great coach? Yes. Would a private owner have saved money by giving the assistant a promotion? Yes, look at Perth.

Brisbane had to sell their 3 up and coming stars just to keep going. That has had a massive impact on their ability to attract fans this year - particularly school kids - whom Zullo had a great relationship with. Although this year's performance provides some evidence that coach quality and selection is more important than individual player payments.

Player payments are not transparent. A salary cap needs transparency. Are Adelaide 85% of the cap? Gee they must be paying a few of their players near the minimum if they are. They have players who could earn a lot with other teams.

I agree you won't want FFA backing to continue as it cannot.

Bill I hope this explains my views.