By a large margin the stupidest most short sighted sporting decision I have ever seen

[Twodogs]

I can't believe that the FFA have said 'no' to the EPL and there wont be a Premier League played in Australia.


Who does that benefit? The AFL must be laughing and dancing in the street. I've decided that Ben Buckley is just an AFL stooge.

[hujsh]

If there is EPL action in Australia it will deteriorate A-League crowds and make our competition look much worse.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Hopefully Campbell Rose won't leave to head up the consortium now.

[The Coon Dog]

I agree Twodogs, tho I think the decision was more to fall into line with Asia, so we can count on their support if/when we bid for the World Cup.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Did they give a reason?

[Twodogs]

If there is EPL action in Australia it will deteriorate A-League crowds and make our competition look much worse.


Then we improve the local product not hide behind the couch and shit ourselves.


I agree Twodogs, tho I think the decision was more to fall into line with Asia, so we can count on their support if/when we bid for the World Cup.


Yeah because they're practically lining up to support us ATM.


Did they give a reason?

Yep. They're cowards who sleep with the light on.

[ErnieSigley]

I don't think its that stupid and I can see why they doing it.

If new football fan has limited money but has the choice whether to go see the EPL game or A-league game. EPL would be first choice because of the quality.

When you are spoilt with the best you won't go see the local stuff. The league is only 3 years old and I can see why they are protecting it.

[The Underdog]

Aren't they playing one game and not moving the whole competition over here.
Surely giving people the opportunity to see teams from a top tier competition may actually help to create interest in the sport as a whole. I'm with Twodogs on this, a selfish decision with no real respect for spectators. How many people are going to stop going to watch the Victory because they have the opportunity to see Wigan vs Sunderland (or some such contest) ONCE.
Have some balls FFA.

[GVGjr]

Let me ask a few questions.

When the LA Galaxy came over for a game or two against an A-League side was it endorsed by the FFA?

What would the FFA get out of an EPL game being played here? Does it benefit the local league?

Would an A-League game be able to be scheduled as the curtain raiser to the EPL game?

[hujsh]

Then we improve the local product not hide behind the couch and shit ourselves.


I doubt it would be that easy. Especially with salary caps.

[Dog Pound]

I've read the articles on why the FFA should shut the door on the EPL idea but i'm just not sold. When the Galaxy came over it got me interested in the A-League again. Maybe because it was free to air. But still for the next few weeks i went hunting around the pubs to watch A-League matches. Then when Victory's season was pretty much dusted i lost interest again.

So ok i'm not a massive soccer fan, but i do enjoy the sport and with matches like the EPL played in Australia i'd go along for the ride. I think it would give soccer a huge boost. The next Ballack might be in the crowd and decide to take up soccer the next day.

Anyway, i think its a little short sighted to block the idea so quickly.

[ErnieSigley]

Let me ask a few questions.

When the LA Galaxy came over for a game or two against an A-League side was it endorsed by the FFA?

Yes it was as they played against 2 A-league sides which what the difference is. The FFA are happy for this to happen.

What would the FFA get out of an EPL game being played here? Does it benefit the local league?
Think this is their view. They don't believe it does.

Would an A-League game be able to be scheduled as the curtain raiser to the EPL game?
I'm not sure about the logistics of this. 4 different sets of fans in one stadium. I doubt it would happen.

[ErnieSigley]

BTW Most of the EPL season coincides with the A-league season, if it was at a time when the A-league wasn't on I think it would be easier.

[Topdog]

I applaud the decision of the FFA. The EPL playing a ridiculous game here once a season does no good for anybody and certainly no good for the FFA. Seeing as the game will be played at the same time that our season is on, are the EPL going to compensate the FFA for the loss of revenue. No of course not, in fact they want the FFA to pay them money for the privilege.

Much like the rest of the World is doing I am proud we are telling them to **** off.

[Topdog]

It was also great to see FIFA shoot down this ludicrus (sp?) proposal.

[Twodogs]

It was also great to see FIFA shoot down this ludicrus (sp?) proposal.



Because FIFA always make non parachial, sensible decisions that are always in soccers best interests?;)

[Topdog]

Haha good point. Although the same could be said about the English FA.

I am yet to hear one nation say they'd be happy to have England come out and play games though.

[ErnieSigley]

Because FIFA always make non parachial, sensible decisions that are always in soccers best interests?;)

Compared to AFL Admin?
FIFA did the right thing here.

[Twodogs]

Compared to AFL Admin?



The AFL admin runs rings around soccers admin. Always have and now it looks like that they are going to continue doing it for the foreseeable future




FIFA did the right thing here.
No they didnt-they can run but they cant hide With the blanket coverage that EPL enjoys here, I wouldnt mind betting that EPL would be in the top 5 most watched sporting comps in Australia, and the FFA had a chance to do it on their terms. Now I hope a private promoter gets on board and shows them up.


I thought we finally had the right people running phuuuutball in this country but they've gone to water ever since John O'Neill went back to RU. Buckley and his mates are as weak as piss and I want them gone.

[Sockeye Salmon]

The AFL admin runs rings around soccers admin. Always have and now it looks like that they are going to continue doing it for the foreseeable future




No they didnt-they can run but they cant hide With the blanket coverage that EPL enjoys here, I wouldnt mind betting that EPL would be in the top 5 most watched sporting comps in Australia, and the FFA had a chance to do it on their terms. Now I hope a private promoter gets on board and shows them up.


I thought we finally had the right people running phuuuutball in this country but they've gone to water ever since John O'Neill went back to RU. Buckley and his mates are as weak as piss and I want them gone.

When did you start to give a shit about soccer?

[Twodogs]

When did you start to give a shit about soccer?




I've been a fanatical Arsenal supporter since the early '70s. A combination of the rude word in the name, Charlie George and winning championships did it for me.

[The Underdog]

To steal an argument from Leaping Larry L, having top level English teams play here would probably have the same effect on destroying interest in the game as the Olympics do to decimate interest in athletics and swimming every 4 years or the Australian Open stops anyone picking up a racquet every January :rolleyes:
We should really stop good international musical acts from touring here so as to foster the local music scene. It's a great theory.

[ErnieSigley]

The AFL admin runs rings around soccers admin. Always have and now it looks like that they are going to continue doing it for the foreseeable future

Yes Lets go to Gold Coast and West Sydney where there is little afl support while we haven't even got our current 16 team comp right. Running rings around themselves really.

No they didnt-they can run but they cant hide With the blanket coverage that EPL enjoys here, I wouldnt mind betting that EPL would be in the top 5 most watched sporting comps in Australia, and the FFA had a chance to do it on their terms. Now I hope a private promoter gets on board and shows them up.
Is blanklet coverage what you get on Foxtel because not everyone has Foxtel?
I have no doubt EPL is a more watched than the local league which is why the FIFA and FFA are trying to protect it. How is that stupid?
The EPL wouldn't dare get a private promoter, especially with England trying to host an up and coming WC. This episode has already put them in FIFA's bad books.
Its not AFL where a club like Collingwood does what they want.

I thought we finally had the right people running phuuuutball in this country but they've gone to water ever since John O'Neill went back to RU. Buckley and his mates are as weak as piss and I want them gone.
Whats Buckley done wrong?

I know a lot of EPL club supporter would love to see their team play here for premiership points but unfortunately its a narrow view and at expense of the local comp.

[ErnieSigley]

I've been a fanatical Arsenal supporter since the early '70s. A combination of the rude word in the name, Charlie George and winning championships did it for me.

How did they go yesterday?

[ErnieSigley]

We should really stop good international musical acts from touring here so as to foster the local music scene. It's a great theory.
Hard to apply a football theory to musicans. They are individuals in it for themselves while the clubs are governed by EPL which reports to FIFA.
Anyway there is already a local music quota which all local stations are required to adhere to.

[The Underdog]

Hard to apply a football theory to musicans. They are individuals in it for themselves while the clubs are governed by EPL which reports to FIFA.
Anyway there is already a local music quota which all local stations are required to adhere to.

Yep and touring bands are required to have an Australian support act. Great, maybe it creates interest in a band who certain people wouldn't have normally been exposed to. Maybe the crowd ignores them because they just want to see the headliner. But if that local band get another 200 people who buy their album for each show they do in support, who wouldn't have bought it otherwise then there's some extra interest created for local music. It's not a 100% watertight analogy but you can see where I'm going with this.

[ledge]

Im totally lost on why you wouldnt have EPL games here, soccer is competeing with the AFL and what better way to have a couple of clubs play here, the AFL plays in Dubai, Ireland, England and other countries,is FIFA short on grey matter? If FIFA were smart maybe get some english clubs sponsoring A league clubs here and fostering theyre younger players here a few times a year, its called promoting the game.

[Twodogs]

To steal an argument from Leaping Larry L, having top level English teams play here would probably have the same effect on destroying interest in the game as the Olympics do to decimate interest in athletics and swimming every 4 years or the Australian Open stops anyone picking up a racquet every January :rolleyes:
We should really stop good international musical acts from touring here so as to foster the local music scene. It's a great theory.



His nimcompoop line from that article was a cracker.

[Twodogs]

Yes Lets go to Gold Coast and West Sydney where there is little afl support while we haven't even got our current 16 team comp right. Running rings around themselves really.

The main problem with the competition is 16 in 22 doesnt make a whole number. The comp cant be even.

Apart from that, what's wrong with the currrent competition?

But if we want to have an argument about that then it's going to need it's own thread.


Is blanklet coverage what you get on Foxtel because not everyone has Foxtel?
I have no doubt EPL is a more watched than the local league which is why the FIFA and FFA are trying to protect it. How is that stupid?
The EPL wouldn't dare get a private promoter, especially with England trying to host an up and coming WC. This episode has already put them in FIFA's bad books.
Its not AFL where a club like Collingwood does what they want.


-Pubs have Foxtel. They are also open at the same time EPL games are on.
-Protection like that wont work-there was this thing called the information revolution and you can easy access to viewing games pretty much at will. An attitude like the FFAs is stupid because it's so shortsighted
-Yep. ManU, Real, AC and Juve pretty much toe the party line in every spat. Like when the Serie A told the clubs their punishment for bribery and match fixing. The clubs just finished laughing and said "No, no, no. Here's what's going to happen" Or when the EPL tried not to inforce the Bosman rule, or when the old FA was trying to keep more money than the (top) clubs thought they should from TV deals and the clubs went over their heads and formed The EPL.

-

Whats Buckley done wrong?

Apart from playing in that infamous Recfooty game against us that time?


I know a lot of EPL club supporter would love to see their team play here for premiership points but unfortunately its a narrow view and at expense of the local comp.

The EPL and the local game arent mutually exclusive. They are playing the same game. Do you think that people are stupid enough not to be able to tell the difference between Archie Thompson and Ronaldihno and think that because they saw Man U and Arsenal play last week then Kevin Muscat must still be at Millwall and that's who's playing this week.



Oh and you a ':rolleyes:' for post #24

[ErnieSigley]

The main problem with the competition is 16 in 22 doesnt make a whole number. The comp cant be even.

So 18 into 22 is better then?:rolleyes:
Guaranteedclubs like pies, carlton, essendon will play each other twice.

Will reply back with rest later.

[Twodogs]

So 18 into 22 is better then?:rolleyes:
Guaranteedclubs like pies, carlton, essendon will play each other twice.

Will reply back with rest later.




You're missing my point. It doesnt matter whether it's' 16, 17, 18 or 19. Until it's a 16 club/30 round comp (or an 18/34) the problems wont go away. My point is apart from that anomoly the AFL havent got much to fix.

[Sockeye Salmon]

-Yep. ManU, Real, AC and Juve pretty much toe the party line in every spat. Like when the Serie A told the clubs their punishment for bribery and match fixing. The clubs just finished laughing and said "No, no, no. Here's what's going to happen"

What happened here?

Didn't Juve get relegated to Serie B and one of the Milan teams get docked a heap of points?

[Twodogs]

What happened here?

Didn't Juve get relegated to Serie B and one of the Milan teams get docked a heap of points?



In the first instance. The clubs reacted in the same manner that the Indian cricket board did to Harbijhan's suspension.



The clubs ending up being penalised about the same amount as the total number of test matches Harbijhan ended up missing.

[ErnieSigley]

You're missing my point. It doesnt matter whether it's' 16, 17, 18 or 19. Until it's a 16 club/30 round comp (or an 18/34) the problems wont go away. My point is apart from that anomoly the AFL havent got much to fix.

Only a 'small' anomoly of a fair and even draw for all clubs. Possibly the only sport in the world that can't claim that.

[ErnieSigley]

Im totally lost on why you wouldnt have EPL games here, soccer is competeing with the AFL and what better way to have a couple of clubs play here, the AFL plays in Dubai, Ireland, England and other countries,is FIFA short on grey matter? If FIFA were smart maybe get some english clubs sponsoring A league clubs here and fostering theyre younger players here a few times a year, its called promoting the game.

What no one understands is that the EPL also competes with the A-league.

Soccer is already played right around the world so you can't compare with the AFL junkets to Dubai, Ireland and England. Thats novelty not a competition.

The English club and A-league teams are there own entities, some already have feeder style arrangemnents not sponsorship. Getting Fifa to do it?, its not there job? Promoting the game is supporting a local comp thats in its infancy.

If you want to see the Epl go to England, Serie A Italy and Primera Spain. Bring the clubs here then call it a different comp.

[ErnieSigley]

The EPL and the local game arent mutually exclusive.
They are playing the same game.
Might be the same game but they are different competitions.
Why the need for a local league if you think they are the same?

[ErnieSigley]

In the first instance. The clubs reacted in the same manner that the Indian cricket board did to Harbijhan's suspension.



The clubs ending up being penalised about the same amount as the total number of test matches Harbijhan ended up missing.

If you are looking at the Italian League and bribery/match fixing allegation. The Juve incident wasn't the first instance.
Many clubs have been demoted, docked points, forced to go under,etc. Its a very long history and more to do with Italian culture than anything.
The difference with Australia is its probably happened here as well but no one wants to believe its possible.


In this instance, Juve was demoted (first time ever for this club), docked a number of points when they started the next campaign, lost the championship they won and missed out of Euro qualification which they gained. As a consequence a number of their players asked to leave. Their number of their administration was also forced to resign/face court.
They wore it more than the Indian CB did with Harbijhan.

[Sockeye Salmon]

If you are looking at the Italian League and bribery/match fixing allegation. The Juve incident wasn't the first instance.
Many clubs have been demoted, docked points, forced to go under,etc. Its a very long history and more to do with Italian culture than anything.
The difference with Australia is its probably happened here as well but no one wants to believe its possible.


In this instance, Juve was demoted (first time ever for this club), docked a number of points when they started the next campaign, lost the championship they won and missed out of Euro qualification which they gained. As a consequence a number of their players asked to leave. Their number of their administration was also forced to resign/face court.
They wore it more than the Indian CB did with Harbijhan.

Did Juve actually play serie B for a season? Did they win?

[The Underdog]

What no one understands is that the EPL also competes with the A-league.

Soccer is already played right around the world so you can't compare with the AFL junkets to Dubai, Ireland and England. Thats novelty not a competition.

The English club and A-league teams are there own entities, some already have feeder style arrangemnents not sponsorship. Getting Fifa to do it?, its not there job? Promoting the game is supporting a local comp thats in its infancy.

If you want to see the Epl go to England, Serie A Italy and Primera Spain. Bring the clubs here then call it a different comp.

In a way the EPL and A-League compete, but on the other hand, how many A-League supporters do you know that don't support a team in Europe. It's not like the chance to see these teams play once are going to make people suddenly go, holy crap, in comparison this A-League game is weak, I'm going to forget soccer/football completely. They may compete for dollars in a short term, in that A-League attendances may suffer slightly when the EPL game/s is/are played. Surely in the long term some extra buzz and publicity around the sport would be beneficial though.

[Topdog]

In a way the EPL and A-League compete, but on the other hand, how many A-League supporters do you know that don't support a team in Europe. It's not like the chance to see these teams play once are going to make people suddenly go, holy crap, in comparison this A-League game is weak, I'm going to forget soccer/football completely. They may compete for dollars in a short term, in that A-League attendances may suffer slightly when the EPL game/s is/are played. Surely in the long term some extra buzz and publicity around the sport would be beneficial though.

People keep saying this but there are no guarantees on which teams will come out here.

Imagine the excitement by getting to watch Derby vs Wigan.

Having said that I imagine they would ship clubs out to where there is a player from that country. So we will most likely get Everton vs X (maybe Derby with Sterj).

I am against the EPL coming here more because of my concern about the English game than the A-League. I really can't imagine this game having any real positive or negative effect on the A-League.

[The Coon Dog]

People keep saying this but there are no guarantees on which teams will come out here.

Imagine the excitement by getting to watch Derby vs Wigan.

Having said that I imagine they would ship clubs out to where there is a player from that country. So we will most likely get Everton vs X (maybe Derby with Sterj).

I am against the EPL coming here more because of my concern about the English game than the A-League. I really can't imagine this game having any real positive or negative effect on the A-League.


As I understood the proposal, the fixture would be released, the interested cities would then bid on which games they want to host.

Obviously the more high profile the club, the higher the asking price.

[Topdog]

As I understood the proposal, the fixture would be released, the interested cities would then bid on which games they want to host.

Obviously the more high profile the club, the higher the asking price.

That is pretty much my entire problem / disgust with the proposal.

[The Underdog]

That is pretty much my entire problem / disgust with the proposal.

I understand this issue and don't find it a palatable thing, what I think the argument this thread began with was to do with the somewhat small minded reasons for the FFA to dismiss the idea, which had nothing to do with ethics and were more to do with crapping their pants that the big boys would make them look bad.

[Topdog]

No it undermines both the A-League and the EPL. It is a stupid proposal which has been shot down by every nation so far. Not one nation has said they'd be happy to have it.

Has nothing to do with making Australia look bad IMO, more to do with the integrity of the game as a while.