Bluemagic/Smithy/Bluemagic/Smithy etc etc wrote:
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Fair enough Smithy, but isn't putting a Phoenix reserve/youth team in the NZFC just letting the FFA/Australian govt off the hook? They have imposed an unfair playing field on the Nix participation in the A League by barring them from the youth team and Asian competition. Surely the Phoenix are an Australian entity that just happens to call Wellington home? If that's the case then why are they penalized from participating fully in the A League? None of the other clubs are and some of them also have Kiwi players.
Most of your forum members appear happy for the Nix to be an Australian side participating in an Australian competition. I have no complaint against that, but only if it's a level playing field and you're allowed to fully participate in the A League, not have restrictive conditions apply. I'll tell you why they are imposed - the Australians and Asians don't want to see NZ football developing any further.
And yes, the losers in this are NZ players on the fringe of being good enough to play professionally but find their logical pathway largely closed to them because of restrictions imposed on the Nix. Personally I think we're giving away too much for too little in return.
I hope you win the A League title so the FFA is maybe suitably embarrassed into giving the Nix (and NZ footballers) a fair deal. I won't hold my breath though (about the FFA doing the decent thing).
Yeah look I agree with all of that.
But, if we don't have a big enough carrot or stick to make the FFA let us in the Youth A-League then we can still benefit everyone by engaging the Phoenix in the NZFC.
I understand how that might be a bit threatening to established NZFC powerhouses, but it shouldn't be. It should be a welcome development to the competition they play in.
Imagine how much better prepared the NZFC's CWC participant would be if they could have had a few matches against full time pros before they went.
If it makes the NZFC stronger then ultimately it will make the game in New Zealand better. There are some egos that might get a little dent, but we've all experienced that from time to time (lord knows I have) and sometimes you come out the other side better than before.
And then one day, we can tackle the Youth A League. Or A League Reserve League, or whatever permutation there is then.
Smithy2010-02-15 17:19:44