Football Federation Australia's plan to axe Wellington Phoenix from the A-League "has drawn predictable howls of protest" from football fans in New Zealand, while club officials "have kept their own counsel in the wake of the decision announced on Monday," according to Michael Lynch of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. But Wellington will ask FFA to "fully explain why it knocked back the club's application" for a 10-year extension to its license. Wellington said in a statement, "The club will be seeking greater clarity around the reasons for rejection of the proposal and how the FFA is evaluating the Phoenix's contribution to game development, player pathway, commercial factors, broadcast rights and the long-term success of the Hyundai A-League, to which the Phoenix is already making a material and positive contribution." The existing club participation agreement "would give the Phoenix the chance to make a case to stay in the league beyond the end of this season." FFA said that it does not see the Phoenix as "being fundamental to the future growth of the A-League and wants to replace it with another Australian-based club." It is "almost certain that any new entity will be sited in the southern region of Sydney," which would give the NSW capital three teams and the state five of the league's 10 clubs (SMH, 10/27). STUFF reported New Zealand Football CEO Andy Martin said that the Phoenix "play a vital role in the development of the game" in the country. The Phoenix "face the prospect of being removed from the A-League at the end of this season." The "death of the Phoenix would be disastrous for the game" in New Zealand given the "pathways it provides local players" -- a scenario Martin was "desperately keen to avoid as he threw his support behind the embattled club." Martin said in a statement, "We fully support the on-going participation of the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League." There has been "further outcry across the ditch" with Professional Footballers Australia calling for "greater security around contracts in the A-League" (STUFF, 10/27).
NO GUARANTEE: In Sydney, Ray Gatt reported David Salter, a former head of sport at the ABC and Seven Network, believes "concocting more capital city teams" will "only hurt the A-League and is no guarantee" of improved TV ratings. Salter made the comment following reports FFA "may be looking at replacing Wellington Phoenix with a team based in Sydney's southern suburbs." Having three teams from Sydney and the possibility for "more big games via an extra nine derbys would be a far more attractive incentive" for a free-to-air network. However, Salter is "not convinced it will solve the ills of the A-League, which is suffering from a number of issues," including some poor TV ratings on Fox Sports -- something that could impact on FFA when the current four-year, A$160M ($115.2M) broadcast deal ends in '17. Salter: "The problem for the FFA is that they have too few teams, with fan bases that are too thin. ... Alongside the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A -- all available on pay-TV -- our football is decidedly second rate" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/28).
